


Nothing More, Nothing Less

by farbsturz



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe, Complete, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Kidnapping, M/M, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Slow Burn, Slow Dancing, World Hopping, basically ravio is sent to hyrule to help an amnesiac link defeat calamity ganon, events of botw but with ravio thrown into it, fine he will save hyrule but he will complain all the way, link attempts to wrestle the gorons, merchant ravio, ravio is in possession of the triforce of wisdom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:53:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 56
Words: 148,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24574111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/farbsturz/pseuds/farbsturz
Summary: “Hyrule is without its wisdom and courage right now, Ravio. The hero will return eventually but when he does he will be alone. His world will have changed under the influence of such great evil and he will need help. He will need the wisdom and instinct of somebody chosen by the Goddess herself. And if his own princess can not be the leading voice in his life then you have to help him."“Hyrule truly must be in trouble if they ask for me... How can I help, princess?”------------Ravio is being sent to Hyrule to help the failed Hero defeat Calamity Ganon once and for all. He expected it to be a quick suicidal mission but who would have thought that he would find so much more on his journey?
Relationships: Link/Ravio (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 1310
Kudos: 596





	1. Did somebody order a budget hero?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ravio felt content with the life he was living.  
> Of course it was only a matter of time before the Goddess Lolia would mess it up for him.

Peering into the throne room, Ravio nervously played with the hem of his tunic. For several days his princess had behaved absentmindedly and distant, and the Lorulean expected the worst. His anxiety had been tripping him up for a while now and when his heart couldn’t take it any longer, he stepped into the open.

Princess Hilda was as beautiful as always. Her purple hair rested neatly over her shoulders and her royal dress spoke of etiquette and formality. If it wasn’t for the gloved hands clenched into fists one could almost think that she was the collected leader everyone believed her to be. But Ravio knew his childhood friend and her pacing only confirmed his worries. 

Something was terribly wrong.

“My princess, you have called for me?” Ravio spoke softly, his head lowered in a bow. His eyes were fixated on the ground and he absently bit his lip, his hands sweaty underneath the fingerless gloves. 

“Ravio. Thank you for coming so quickly. I fear I have to be the bearer of bad news and I need your counseling.”

Nodding, the Lorulean lifted his head once again to meet worried red eyes. Lorule had been mostly at peace with the other kingdoms and even though they still had their occasional problems with the Zoras from time to time, it had truly been a time of prosperity. 

He could only guess that these times were over now. 

“What has been troubling you, princess?” 

Ravio watched as the young woman returned to her throne, a heavy sigh leaving her as she slouched down. It was a sign that what she was about to talk about would be discussed on a personal level and less on a professional one. He relaxed his shoulders slightly and came closer than he usually would. 

It wasn’t the princess who needed him right now, it was his friend.

“I don’t know what to do, Rav… That’s a lie, I know exactly what I am  _ supposed  _ to do but it seems like such an impossible thing to ask for. A horrible future threatens to overcome Lorule if I don’t act but in all this I feel more like a reaper than a savior.” 

He could see the pain in Hilda’s face as she forced herself to talk but for now he remained quiet, allowing her to gather her thoughts. She was shaking badly and Ravio did his best to suppress his anxiety. The glove on his left hand began to itch and he knew that this was a bad omen. 

“I’ve had the same nightmare for several days now. At first I brushed it off as a simple fear of mine but with each passing night I realized that it was a vision sent to me. In my dream I saw a horrible and grotesque entity breaking through our Sacred Realm into Lorule, bringing nothing but destruction and calamity. Nothing could stand in its way and it consumed us all.” 

A shiver ran down Ravio’s spine and he swallowed thickly, his body trembling. Goddess, of course his bad nights nowadays had a meaning to them, who was he kidding? Since that stupid birthmark had began to hurt it had been downhill. 

“But the dream goes on.” Hilda said, tearing Ravio out of his own thoughts. His eyes widened ever so slightly and he leaned closer, tongue licking over his lips in a nervous habit of his. This was news to him, seeing as how his dream usually ended with the death of everyone. “I suddenly find myself in a place not unlike Lorule but… different. It’s brighter and there are less monsters. It’s a beautiful place, truly…” She took a shaking breath. “In my dream I see a castle and the entity is captured within. There is a young man with an overwhelming feeling of courage and he holds the sword from the legends towards the castle…” 

Their eyes finally met and Ravio felt his heart stop a beat at the next words. 

“... with you by his side.”

Oh no.

Heck no.

The goddesses had to be kidding him. 

Taking a step back, Ravio almost tripped over one of the stairs, barely catching himself before hitting the ground. He was shaking his head vehemently.

“Hilda, I’m not— You can’t possibly think that I out of all people— Are you crazy? There is no way that I could fight that super scary super powerful looking boar! You know me, I refuse to enter my house if I see a spider in it! You gotta be mistaking me for an actual competent knight or farmer or anything remotely stronger than an ant.”

But his friend only looked at him with sad eyes, leaving no room for jokes or lighthearted banter. “You know, Rav, I didn’t describe the entity. How specific of you to compare it to a known animal.” 

Ravio was quick to realize his mistake and his fragile smile turned into a pleading look. 

“That place you talked about… It’s that far away kingdom, isn’t it? What was it called again? Hayrule? Midrule? The one from those old drawings and reports…” Ravio tried to cling to the last rope he could think of, holding onto it for his dear life. “Didn’t that diary state that all rifts had been closed? Even if we wanted to pass over there is no way to do that, right? Whoever has to fight that smoke of doom is gonna have to do just fine by himself, I’m sure that hero is more than capable of holding his—”

“He has fallen in battle.”

Silence. 

“What?” Ravio asked, his throat suddenly dry. The burning sensation on his hand became worse with each passing moment and he had to stop himself from tearing the glove away. He knew what slumbered below and he had done well forgetting about it.

“I cannot explain it. It was as if the goddess Lolia had reached out to me, showing me moments of the kingdom of Hyrule. The entity known as Calamity Ganon has overwhelmed the princess and the hero has been fatally wounded while protecting her. Hyrule is without its hero right now and their version of me is binding the creature to the castle.” Hilda pushed herself off the throne and closed the distance to Ravio, holding out her hand. He hesitantly took it, thinking she would help him back onto his feet but instead she pulled the glove off his hand, revealing the Triforce of Wisdom. It was glowing bright enough to blind him somewhat and the skin around it was red from the heat. 

“Hyrule is without its wisdom and courage right now, Ravio. The hero will return eventually but when he does he will be alone. His world will have changed under the influence of such great evil and he will need help. He will need the wisdom and instinct of somebody chosen by the Goddess herself. And if his own princess can not be the leading voice in his life then you have to help him. You know our history as well as I do and you know what their hero has done for Lorule. If it hadn’t been for their kindness our kingdom would be no more.”

Hilda pulled him to his feet and looked at him with determination, her hands never letting go of his. 

“I know that what I am asking of you is a great sacrifice and no one should have to carry such burden. But I cannot ask anyone else. You are the Hero of Lorule, whether you accept this fate or not. And right now our kingdom needs you. In our darkest hours Hyrule had been our shining light and it is up to us now to return this favor.”

Ravio hated this. So damn much. He had lived a pleasant life so far, and had been a loyal servant to the royal family with his own little house just outside the castle. He had spent the majority of his time with Hilda and when they hadn’t discussed political agendas they had hung out together. The Lorulean had snuck out of knight’s training more often than he had attended them and Hilda had always hidden him in her study room. The young man knew that his friend wouldn’t ask him for this if there had been another way but it only frustrated him even more. He wasn’t made of hero material, more of the opposite. Ravio had always been a spineless coward so it had been a surprise to no one that Hilda had ended up being blessed with courage. And she had deserved it. Leading a kingdom all by herself after her parents had passed away at such a young age surely took a toll on its ruler but she had carried the newfound weight like it was a crown. She was the bravest person Ravio had ever come to know. But him? When that annoying mark had first appeared on his hand he had known that the Goddess had royally messed up. Sure, Ravio was a professional when it came to talking and charming his way out of dangerous situations but he wasn’t wise. The only good thing that mark had given him was the promotion to royal advisor but since its initial appearance it had never acted out. 

Until today. 

“Hilda…” his voice was begging now, barely audible over the sound of his racing heart. 

_ Please don’t do this to me. Please don’t send me away. I’m scared.  _

“I’m sorry, Ravio. But these are the roles we were born for. We all have our part to play and I know that you are more than you think you are.” She placed a warm hand on his cheek and Ravio covered it with his own, leaning into the rare show of affection. “You may not know it but you have saved me countless times. Not from enemies on the battlefield but from intrusive thoughts when I was alone with my responsibilities. You were always the light that would shine in even the darkest days and when I could see nothing but an upcoming war you were there to show me my options. You were never meant to be the leading hand but rather the thought behind an action. What Hyrule needs is not a hero with a shining sword, they already got that one… What they need is optimism and somebody who can grasp the bigger picture.” Hilda’s voice softened and she smiled warmly. “I may be the ruler of Lorule but you have always been leading me. And when the Goddess asked me for my best man she couldn’t have chosen better.”

Ravio didn’t try to stop the tears from running. There was no reason to. Hilda had seen him crying more often than he would like to admit and if there had ever been a time to be sad it was now. He slowly leaned back from her touch and wiped his tears away, a trembling but genuine smile on his lips. 

“Hyrule truly must be in trouble if they ask for me... How can I help, princess?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	2. So long Lorule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was time for Ravio to leave Lorule. Didn't mean he had to like it though.

“So let me get this straight: You want me to enter our Sacred Realm...”

“Yes.”

“...Stay there in hopes that the failed hero will wake up from the dead...”

“He should eventually.”

“...And then take a portal that will hopefully spit me out somewhere close to that dude and not in lava.” 

“That’s the plan, Rav.”

“Great! Anything else you want me to do? Why be humble and hop over to just one parallel world, I’m sure there is another or two that I could visit in between. How about you just send me back in time and I will prevent the birth of that pigman altogether?” Ravio threw his arms up in exaggeration, ignoring the deep sigh he got from Hilda in return. Travelling to another world was one thing but being trapped in a realm for an unknown time? Thanks, but no thanks. 

“Stop it, Ravio. You already agreed to help so there is no use in whining. I know it’s unfair but I need you to be on standby until the right time will come.” The princess said, lifting her hand the moment she noticed the boy trying to speak up. “I don’t like this plan either, believe me. I can’t imagine weeks or even years without you by my side but it is times like these where we have to put the kingdom over our personal needs. It is our duty to sacrifice our lives when it comes down to it.” 

Leaning against the table, Ravio sighed in defeat. His shoulders slumped down and he began to tug at the hem of his shirt. This simply had to be a horrible joke from the Goddess herself, there was no way that anyone could confuse him for a hero. His green eyes absently moved towards the sheathed sword resting against a wall and he huffed. The Master Sword had made it clear enough that Hilda was its wielder and not him. Still one of the most humiliating moments in his life when he had tried to pull it out of the stone and the only thing he had gained had been a hurting back and the haunting laughter of the spectators. 

Ravio was anything but courageous and he felt stupid more often than wise. 

“So when will I be locked away?” The boy spoke up, his voice lacking its usual energy. His eyes were still fixated on the weapon and Hilda’s hesitation proved that he once again could hide nothing from her cunning perception. 

“It has to happen as soon as possible so the sages considered… this evening?” 

Green widened and he looked up in shock, meeting his friend’s gaze.

“If you need more time I’m sure I can talk to them. This is overwhelming for all of us and if you want a few nights to prepare yourself I will—” 

“No.” Ravio interrupted her rambling, mirroring the princess’s action of lifting a hand. “No, it’s fine. Like a bandaid, right? Better make it quick, we wouldn’t want to give me enough time to realize the stupidity of this suicide mission and make a run for it.” His smile felt pained but Ravio kept it up anyways. Hilda wasn’t at fault for all of this and staying any longer would only hurt her as well. He couldn’t be selfish and think about everything he would lose. One of the most important people was standing right in front of him and that was all that mattered, seeing as how he wouldn’t be able to reach Kakariko Village before the following morning. Leaving his house behind would be easy. But his best friend and family? That would be the tough one. 

“Just give me a few hours, Hilda. I’m gonna go home, grab whatever I think is necessary for this adventure and once I’m back I expect a royal dinner with several courses. And I want a hot bath. Maybe some new clothes as well.” He grinned at his friend and came closer, throwing an arm around her shoulder. “How about some pocket money as well, hmm? Wouldn’t want the Hero of Lorule to be short on those sweet rupees. Maybe a golden one? Or two? I will take purple rupees as well, they always matched my eyes so nicely.” Her laughter was the response he had hoped for and once she had sent him away, Ravio let his fake smile drop. 

Looking up towards the dark clouds, the Lorulean took a shaking breath and ran a hand through his hair, wondering whether the wetness on his cheek was caused by the starting rain or his emotions. 

* * *

The bag sat heavy on his back, the new clothes itched all in the wrong places and the hood was at least a tasteful purple with bunny ears attached. His signature scarf was resting loosely around his neck and he instinctively hid his face behind it. At least he liked the purple tunic Hilda had gifted him; its design had apparently been inspired by the former legendary Hero of Hyrule or something. Ravio hadn’t really listened or cared. 

“And you are sure that you packed everything?” Hilda asked and her wavering voice gave her anxiety away. Not like he could hold it against her. It wasn’t like he could simply turn around and travel back to Lorule if he hadn’t packed enough underwear. 

“I’ve got my bow, several rods, a hammer, a hookshot, and the boomerang. My bombs stayed at home because _someone_ thought I shouldn’t travel interdimensionally with explosives on my body.” he sighed dramatically as his hand moved to rest on a smaller bag hanging from his belt. “Got some rupees on me for food and my sleeping roll is also present. Anything else I need, princess?”

Ravio could feel the glares of the 7 sages around him but honestly he didn’t care whether they liked his casual behavior around Hilda or not. He was gonna save two kingdoms with one adventure so who gave a damn about formalities. 

“Just one more thing.” Hilda whispered as she reached into a pocket to reveal an old looking bracelet. It was golden and a purple gem was placed in its middle. Ravio curiously took it and when the horrible smell hit his nose, he couldn’t help but grimace. “Goddess, Hildy, did you throw this thing into cow remains or why does it smell worse than a wet dog?” Her reply was a smack to the arm and Ravio sent her a crooked smile while putting the bracelet on, actively ignoring its horrible scent. 

“It’s the smell of history.”

“Yeah, the history of an animal’s last dinner.” 

They grinned at each other for another moment before Hilda wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm hug. Ravio buried his face in his friend’s neck, breathing in the familiar perfume and the pain of homesickness threatened to overwhelm him. Truth was, he could joke all he wanted to lighten the mood but in reality he was scared to the bone. Ravio was a coward, he was useless in every aspect of life. He wasn’t a hero like Hilda, he wouldn’t survive in a foreign world without his friend by his side. This was a death sentence and apparently the goddess Lolia had signed it willingly. 

“You better come back in one piece, Rav. And if I have to drag your bottom back myself.”

“I will, Hildy. No monster pig could rival your wrath so I promise I will return as soon as I can. In the meantime rule kindly but smart.” Leaning back, Ravio placed a lingering kiss on the girl’s forehead. His eyes were closed and he took a shaking breath, finally stepping away. He couldn’t prolong this journey any longer. 

Stepping back into the glowing light, Ravio watched as the sages around him lifted their hands. The overflowing magic rushed through his veins and the air was forced out of his lungs under the immense pressure. Green eyes never left red and the Lolian saluted his friend before the blinding light turned into unconscious black. 

Lorule had a debt to repay and Ravio had a total stranger to assist. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I promise the other chapters will be longer, just needed to get the prelude out!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	3. A king of nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio arrives in Hyrule but it seems like a bit more time has passed than he had expected.

The next time he opened his eyes, Ravio found himself in what appeared to be…

Ruins? 

He wasn’t sure what he had expected. Maybe a great welcome or a big crowd celebrating the appearance of the Hero of Lorule. 

Or at least a functioning roof. 

It was either early morning or late evening, Ravio couldn’t tell. What he could tell, however, was that Hyrule’s Temple of Time was a mess. The roof was nonexistent, walls had crumbled down and everywhere he looked the building was overgrown with plants and vines. He could still recognize the familiar structure from back home but if he had been anyone else, the fact that this was supposed to be a sacred place would be lost. 

“What in Nayru’s name has happened here?” Ravio mumbled out loud as he touched the still intact figure of a goddess. “Sure, evil pigman wreaked havoc but there is no way that kind of overgrowth comes to be in just a handful of months…” Worry and anxiety caught up to the Lolian and he swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. 

Something was wrong. 

Hilda had told him stories about Hyrule. About how a previous hero had been hiding here, looking for his Hylian counterpart. Apparently this kingdom was supposed to be a Lorule but optimistic. A brighter sun, colorful flowers, a variety of food and people. As much of a paradise as a kingdom could be.

Whoever had told such lies would have made a great scammer. 

Ravio saw none of that. When he looked through the ruin all he could make out was nature and the absence of any civilization. Whatever had happened here didn’t happen overnight. 

Just how long had he been sealed away?

“And what are you doing here, young man?” An older voice spoke up, causing Ravio to turn on his heels. His heart was hammering in his chest and every muscle was tensing up, ready to reach for a weapon if needed.

The man in front of him looked like an elderly traveller. He was wearing simple brown pants and a brown shirt, combined with a hood covering his eyes. The old man was leaning against a cane, a white beard speaking of the many years he must have experienced. A frown was resting on his visible face but other than that Ravio didn’t think he would cause any trouble. He relaxed slightly. 

“I’m uhm…” _Think quick!_ “A travelling merchant!” He said quickly, a fake grin on his lips. “Yes, that’s what I am! I was just around here and saw this building and thought to myself ‘Wow, what an old looking temple, let’s check it out’ and that’s exactly what I did.”

The old man was watching him closely and Ravio felt a shiver run down his spine. There was something off about that guy but he couldn’t place his finger on it. He felt intimidated and even though he couldn’t read the other’s expression, the Lolian simply knew that the man was taking him apart mentally. 

“Anyways, would you look at the time! Lolia knows I should get going! Great talk but I should be on my way, see ya!” Ravio saluted with two fingers and made an attempt at walking past the man. Emphasis on attempt. Before he could react a cane was blocking his path and Ravio found himself face to face with the man, cold eyes studying his face as if it held the answers to the world. 

“Young man, a bit of advice. If you wish to go undetected you should be aware of Hyrule’s history. Especially the name of our Goddess that created the kingdom.” 

His heart stopped a beat.

And then another. 

Taking a trembling step back, Ravio tried to put some distance between himself and that guy. No matter how far he backed off, the other followed him until the boy’s back hit the statue, leaving him no way to escape. His fingers twitched and the Lolian pulled his head between his shoulders, eyes never leaving those cold calculating ones. 

“What are you? A creation of Ganon? A dark shadow of Link? Why are you here?” 

“S-Sir, please, I don’t know any of those people. I’m not working with anyone, I swear!” Lifting his hands in a clear gesture of surrender, Ravio’s eyes were forced away from the man when the itching returned to his left hand. Of course the Goddess damned Triforce had to act up to make the situation only worse. 

The old man’s eyes widened when his hand began to glow and Ravio groaned when the shape of his Triforce shone through the glove. Whatever meaning this had, it was enough for the guy to back off, his attention fully on the sacred symbol.

“What is the meaning of this?” The stranger whispered but Ravio didn’t reply. The heat almost became unbearable and he grunted when the light became blinding. He could see through squinted eyes how the elderly man backed off, shielding his face with hands as the light began to eat away at his clothes. Ravio watched in horror as the brown clothes changed into royal gear, a crown appearing where the hood once was.

Where once the old traveller had stood was now a man with an unmistakable identity.

Falling onto his knee, Ravio quickly lowered his head. He took a shaking breath and tried to calm his racing heart. _It’s not him. It’s not him._ The boy repeated those words over and over again, a mantra he clung to in the presence of a king so familiar yet different. 

“Please, young man, there is no need for this. Lift your head.” 

Hesitatingly doing so, Ravio bit his lip and raised onto shaking legs. Even if this version was older, the Lolian couldn’t help but notice the similarities to his own deceased king. A man as kind and determined as his daughter, a man who had taken him in when Ravio was but a little boy. A man who had allowed him to become a scholar instead of a guard. 

“I must apologize to you. I was in the wrong for suspecting you of evil deeds without hearing you out. But please, I need to know who you are.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Ravio played around with the end of his scarf. He looked towards the setting sun and made the decision that if he couldn’t trust Hyrule’s king then he couldn’t trust anyone. 

“My name is Ravio, Your Majesty. I come from a far away kingdom called Lorule and I have been sent here to assist the Hero of Hyrule in his mission to defeat a great evil. Before I was… _chosen_ for this adventure I was a simple advisor to my princess. Nothing more nothing less.”

He saw the man’s eyes wander towards his hand and Ravio unconsciously hid it with his other. That didn’t need an explanation. It was clear enough what it was without him revealing the nuisance. The eternal reminder of his cowardice. 

“Lorule, hm? I have heard only legends about such place. But those seem to be true, if you have come here. It is a noble and selfless adventure you have begun, please allow me to welcome you to Hyrule.” The man outstretched his arms and motioned towards nature beyond the ruins of the temple. “I wish our meeting could have been built on more joyful circumstances but my kingdom is in a state of dread and fear.”

“I am King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule and I have failed my people. 100 years ago a creature known by the name of Calamity Ganon had attacked Hyrule and its champions had been overwhelmed by the forces of evil. Ganon managed to kill not only me and my knights, but also the hero chosen by the Master Sword. Only my daughter, princess Zelda, was left behind to face a being made of pure demise but she awakened her powers and locked the monster into Hyrule Castle. There they both have remained for this past century, an eternal fight between light and darkness. But my daughter’s powers grow weary with each day and it was finally time for our hero to return to once again face the evil that ruined our home.”

Wow, okay. Well, that was a lot of information to take in. Like, _a lot_. And Ravio knew that he should probably ask about that Calamity Ganon thing or about the whereabouts of the hero or the current political situation but he couldn’t focus on anything but one detail.

“100 years?” 

And Goddess, did his voice sound pathetic. 

“I-I’m sorry but did you say… 100 years have passed since… since Hyrule was attacked?” He was shaking. Of freaking course, he was. Ravio couldn’t keep up the trembling smile as tears began to fill his eyes, causing his vision to go blurry. His heartbeat was too loud, his breathing too fast and his thoughts were crashing down on him. After all, the king had to be joking, right? 

“No… No, I’m sorry but that can’t be. I was in Lorule just an hour ago, I closed my eyes for a few seconds and woke up here. It’s probably been only a few months but 100 years? No, that’s impossible because if what you say is true then that would mean that Hilda and the sages and my family at home would all be…”

His voice broke. 

Looking up towards the king, Ravio looked for any indication of it being a bad joke. But all he was met with were sorrowful eyes that spoke of nothing but honesty. 

His legs finally gave in. 

And Ravio cried. 

It was ugly but he didn’t give a damn. Clutching onto his arm and where that awful smelling bracelet rested, Ravio hiccuped and cried, screamed until his throat gave away. It couldn’t be true. He had not made his way to Hyrule only to be informed that his loved ones were most likely already dead. Ravio didn’t give a shit about Lorule at that moment. Why the hell should he have to fight if there was nothing waiting for him at home. Lolia had expected him to jump at her call and all he got in return was this? If this was how she played her games with Lorule’s heroes then Ravio would quit in a minute. He hated it. He absolutely freaking hated it. If his family and Hilda was…. _gone…_ then he couldn’t continue. Ravio wasn’t strong enough for this. Lolia should have chosen his friend, she would have known what to do. She would have tackled this situation with the courage it needed. 

But Ravio was just a coward who had lost everything he cared for in a simple throwaway line. 

What a freaking joke. 

The king didn’t say anything and Ravio was thankful for it. He didn’t want to hear any comforting words because they both knew that it would change nothing. A part of him was dying and the Lolian wondered if he could continue. If he _wanted_ to continue. 

  
  
  


_‘I can’t imagine weeks or even years without you by my side but it is times like these where we have to put the kingdom over our personal needs. It is our duty to sacrifice our lives when it comes down to it.’_

  
  
  


Hilda’s words rang quietly in his head and Ravio almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Of course she had already told him the words he had needed to hear. It was just like her to tell him something he wouldn’t understand immediately. _We don’t know for sure whether she’s dead._ Another voice whispered in his ear, this one sounding like his own. _She could be stubborn enough to even fight death until it surrenders._ His lips twitched. _It is our duty to keep the future generation of Lorule safe and sound. The royal family has done so much for us and if there is a new child on the throne then we have to protect them. Hilda might be gone but her blood would still be around._ Wiping the tears away, Ravio took a shaking breath as he pushed himself back onto his legs. He felt weak and exhausted but the comforting warmth on his left hand reminded him of home. _Come on, Ravio. Hilda is going to haunt us if we turn out to be a shitty uncle._

“Please, Your Majesty, tell me everything I need to know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The events of ALBW are canon in this fic, this story takes place hundreds of years after so from time to time Ravio will reference the events of ALBW and the game's Ravio.
> 
> Also, only a couple of chapters left before he finally gets to meet that so called Hero of Hyrule.
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	4. Making a new friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio spends a little more time with Hyrule's dead king before he leaves the Great Plateau to find the hero. 
> 
> On his way, however, he finds something else first.

It was late into the night when Ravio was finally deemed ready to move on. The king had told him the most important information and even though the Lolian didn’t understand everything, he definitely had gotten the gist. Evil Calamity Ganon had shown up and after taking control of ancient technology, the royal champions and the hero had been defeated. This Link guy then had been taken to a shrine that had healed all his wounds while princess Zelda held Ganon in the castle at bay. Now that the hero is awake again, with amnesia because of course there had to be a catch to dying and being resurrected, he was sent to Hyrule’s version of Kakariko Village so he could meet up with an old lady. 

Now the part that Ravio didn’t quite understand was the one about talking birds and rock guys but he guessed that he would meet those races eventually. Apparently the Zoras were way more cooperative here as well but Ravio would want to see it with his own two eyes. Sure, in Lorule they weren’t enemies anymore but Zoras and Lolians had had a tense relationship since anyone could remember. He had played ambassador once or twice and arguing with those guys was like swimming against the flow. They were stubborn fish people and more than willing to (almost) drown you accidentally. 

Ravio had eaten several baked apples and his conversations with the king had been surprisingly pleasant. As pleasant as a discussion with a literal ghost could be, anyways. It wasn’t the weirdest interaction he had experienced and he would rather talk to the dead than be all by himself in those creepy ruins of a temple. He had even gotten a handful of sleep before the king had woken him up with the first hints of sunrise.

“You do not have a map but it’s not hard to find the nearest stable. That mountain over there that looks like it was cut in two is referred to as the Dueling Peaks. Once you leave the Plateau you will find a path that will lead you past the mountain. As long as you stay on track and have those hills in mind you cannot get lost. You will travel past the Forest of Time and once you reach a crossroad with a big tree, head right. You should be able to see the stable once there.” 

Nodding slowly, Ravio studied the map the king had drawn into sand. It did sound easy enough and orientation was luckily one of his stronger traits. All that talk about wisdom had to shine somewhere, he guessed. 

“And you are sure that this Link headed the same way?” 

The king nodded, although hesitantly. “Link can be… impulsive. Easily distracted. But eventually he will find his way to Kakariko Village, I can promise you that. Simply head to the stable and ask for further directions. You can rest there as well.” 

Ravio stood up and stretched his arms, wincing when he heard the uncomfortable cracking from his bones. Sleeping on the ground really did a thing to his back.

“Oh, and Ravio?”

Green eyes looked down at the crouching king, head cocked in a way to show that he was listening. 

“It might be in your interest to hide your appearance as best as you can. Link has no memories of his former life and I do not know how he would react to parallel worlds and a mirror image of himself. It would also be for your own protection. Not every Hylian hates Ganon and there are always enemies who are after the hero’s head. You should make sure that no one will confuse you for him.” 

Ah, yes, he had kinda forgotten the dangers of this whole adventure thing. Fiddling around with the end of his scarf, Ravio thought for a moment before he reached for his bag. He removed several of his weapons and searched for a good minute before he finally found what he had been looking for: a small wooden mask with big eyes drawn on it. It had been painted purple and even though the color had faded over the years, Ravio still smiled fondly. He and Hilda had created their own masks for the yearly lorulean festival of the beast. Old legends had told stories about donning a beastly mask as a tribute to becoming one in a world full of darkness and despair. The tradition had been created as a reminder to never let your greed get the better of you but over centuries it had become a simple myth celebrated by the Lolians. Back then Hilda had insisted on a bunny mask for Ravio. _Not because you are helpless, idiot,_ she had said back then, _but because you are pure and innocent! You would comfort people, not scare them!_

Chuckling at the memory, Ravio grabbed the small dagger hidden in his boots. Sure, it wasn’t made for wood carving but it wasn’t like he wanted to create a masterpiece. It took him around an hour but eventually he had carved the wooden mask down until it was merely covering his eyes and nose. Putting the mask back on, Ravio blinked a few times in order to get used to looking through the narrowed eyes. That in combination with his hood and scarf should be more than enough to hide his identity.

Ravio, coward of Lorule? Never heard of him. 

He was Ravio, the travelling merchant. 

“How do I look, Your Majesty?” Twirling dramatically, the Lolian grinned proudly of his makeshift costume. Hair? Hidden. Eyes? Hidden. Smile? As bright as always for everyone to enjoy. 

“Like a not suspicious travelling merchant.” The king replied with a fond smile.

“Great, that was my intention exactly.” 

Ravio placed his items back into the bag and hoisted it over his shoulder, a deep breath helping him calm down. This was really going to happen and nothing would stop him from finding that Link. Especially because Ravio didn’t want to travel alone for longer than necessary. 

“I should get going then. Thank you for your help, Your Majesty.”

“Just one more question, young Lolian.” The king’s voice was soft, almost hesitant, and Ravio lifted his brow underneath his mask.

“My counterpart… Was he a good man?”

The question caught Ravio off guard. He opened his mouth to answer but closed it again, actually thinking about the question. It seemed important to the man so he wanted to answer as truthfully as he could. 

“My king was kind and patient. Wise and yet determined to do the right thing. He took me in, and he had been quick to treat me like a son. He had been a good ruler, however, an ambassador sent by the faraway tribe of the Gerudo had turned out to be a traitor to the crown, and my king had fallen before his time had come. Since then the kingdom had rested in the hands of his young daughter but princess Hilda is…” He swallowed thickly. “... was a force to behold. She was a strong leader and Lorule was lucky to have her.” 

The king looked at him with sorrowful eyes and for a moment Ravio wondered if he could actually see regret in the man’s expression. However, as fast as the emotion had appeared it was gone again and the Lolian simply shook his head. It had probably been his imagination. 

“I’ll be on my way. Hyrule won’t save itself, will it?” 

* * *

The goodbye had been more difficult than he had expected. Ravio blamed the similarities to his own king for that but honestly, he simply hated being all by himself. Hilda had used to make fun of him for his inability to stay alone, had said something about bunnies dying of loneliness. Though truth be told Ravio was terrified of being left behind. He was weak, anxious and scared of his own shadow. Somebody like him didn’t survive long outside of the protective castle and he had never been properly trained to handle himself in battle. Ravio wasn’t strong. He had always been the damsel in distress, not the knight in shining armor. He couldn’t save anyone, not even himself. And the number of times Hilda had stepped up for him had been more than he could remember. 

The Great Plateau sure was… high. Ravio came to that conclusion when he carefully looked over the edge, revealing a height that would kill anyone stupid enough to jump down. Apparently that hero guy had made it down here with the help of a glider but as was the norm Ravio naturally had had the luck of the king running out of convenient and helpful items. Not that he minded _too_ much. Lolia had been out to get him since his birth and the boy had learned to adapt and invent. Reaching into his bag, Ravio pulled out his faithful item and he took a few steps back, bracing himself.

He breathed in.

Held his breath.

And ran. 

The moment his foot hit the edge of the plateau, Ravio pushed himself off as far as he could. The feeling of gravity was non-existent for a blessful second and he actually released a surprised laugh when the air began to rush past him, indicating his inevitable approach to the stone ground below. His eyes were closed for a moment and when he finally opened them, he allowed his magic to flow freely into the rod. The green wings began to spin vehemently and Ravio strengthened his hold when the tornado rod pushed him back into the air, catching his fall just meters away from the path. He grinned from ear to ear and stopped his magic, causing him to land safely. 

He had always known that a magical item that could catch him midair would come in handy one day. And Hilda had called him _paranoid_ for inventing it. Who was the fool now, hm?

The Lolian readjusted his mask and hood, looking around in search for the assigned path. The Dueling Peaks stood tall and proud at the horizon and Ravio took a moment to enjoy the scenery. Now that the sun had risen he had to admit that Lorule didn’t stand a chance against Hyrule’s nature. Hyrule’s land almost looked untouched, wild and untamable in yet a calming and reassuring way. Of course, having an evil creature wipe out most of the citizens and destroying villages had probably helped painting such an untouched environment but Ravio felt as if Hyrule was simply more intense. The sun seemed to shine just a little brighter, the grass appeared a tad more green. Maybe the destruction of their Triforce had left more consequences than everyone had thought. Not like Ravio could tell. He had heard stories and had seen paintings of what Lorule had looked like in its darkest hour. A far cry from what Lorule had been in his time. But those cliffs between lands were still there, a reminder to a world that had been so close to falling apart. Maybe the new Triforce had never been able to fully heal his kingdom. Because if Hyrule had always been this bright then Lorule was a dull version of it. 

Ravio still preferred his home kingdom, of course. All those intense colors could hurt the eyes. 

He lazily walked down the path, one hand resting on his bag and the other buried in a pocket. It was alienating, how quiet everything was. As if nature held its breath, too scared to speak up in fear of being noticed. At home he would have met several travellers by now but here? Not a single soul. Not that Ravio minded too much. Better no faces at all than an hostile one. 

The Forest of Time was beautiful. It had a calming effect on Ravio and he took deep breaths, relaxing slightly. He had already collected a few apples from the lower hanging branches and even though he had seen a tempting looking honeycomb not too far away, he knew better than to piss those little creatures off. 

Biting a piece off his apple, Ravio came to a sudden halt when he noticed a lookout post in the distance. His heart began to speed up and he hid behind a tree, silently counting to three before daring to look. And he had been right. What appeared to be an enemy base was located too close to the crossway he was supposed to take. The Lolian counted around three enemies, weird looking creatures who seemed to be the equivalent to the annoying Bokoblins he had encountered at home. Not like he had dealt with them, Hilda had usually been the one to push him behind her and the Master Sword had cut through them with ease. Ravio himself had no clue how strong they were, only that they were as dumb as a wooden stick. 

The alluring thought to simply sneak past them was quickly forgotten when a loud chirping noise reached his ears. He couldn’t see the animal that caused such distressed noises but the direction was clear. Whatever poor soul had wandered into that camp was not having a good time. Its cries for help ran down Ravio’s spine and he bit his lip, not knowing what to do. 

“That’s not my business, it’s eat or get eaten. Sucks to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

He readied himself to walk a big circle around the camp when he heard it once again. 

_CHIRP!_

Ravio groaned loudly, hand already rummaging through his bag. Sometimes he hated his good nature.

As expected the enemy camp was inhabited by three monsters. Now that he had snuck closer, he could see a small white creature being cornered by two of them. It was laying on the ground, back against a rock and the two Bokoblins seemed ready to end it. Ravio took aim with his bow, his breathing calm as he blew onto his arrow for good luck. Time seemed to slow down when he finally let go and the Lolian watched as he hit one of them straight in the head, causing the Bokoblin to cry in pain before it disappeared in smoke. His friend jumped back and turned to look into Ravio’s direction but the boy had already hidden himself behind the tree. He closed his eyes and focused on his hearing.

The monster was hesitantly coming towards him. 

_Oh shit_. There was no way he could use his fire rod, not with a forest around him. Ice rod would only cause harm as well… The hammer was strong but slow. 

It was getting closer. 

Taking a shaking breath, Ravio pulled another arrow from his quiver. He willed his heart to calm down as he pulled his arm back, counting to three before stepping out into the open. The Bokoblin was surprised to see him and Ravio used the opportunity to line the shot up, aiming once again for the head. He waited as the monster started its sprint but luckily it was stupid enough to run in a straight line towards him, its club swinging over its head. Ravio ignored the faint warmth on his hand as he let go of the arrow, striking yet another monster with a clear shot. 

Ravio had always found it rather odd. He knew he was a hopeless case when it came to wielding a sword. Really, he was useless when it came to any sort of weapon. But magic and archery had always been his strength. Maybe because they could be considered a cowardish approach to fighting. You were in the backline, far away from any action, hiding behind your soldiers. 

The Bokoblin on top of the lookout had long since blown its horn and Ravio quickly looked around, scanning their surroundings for any sign of newcomers. When nobody else seemed to join their little party, the Lolian sighed in relief and quickly shot the remaining monster dead. He approached the camp carefully, knowing that he couldn’t get cocky over such an easy fight. Ravio knew that at least their lolian monsters were of different strengths according to their colors and if Hyrule’s system worked any like that then he had most likely been lucky to encounter the weaker ones. Keeping his grip on the bow tight, Ravio looked around for the miserable being that had cried out in pain.

It turned out to be a small white bird with blue wings and piercing red eyes. It was chirping in fear when he came closer and Ravio stopped in his tracks, his hands lifted in a gesture of peace. “I’m not going to hurt you, little one…” He said, keeping his voice low and soft. He rummaged through his bag for another apple and used the arrowhead to cut off a small piece. “Here, would you like some? I promise it’s tasty.” Ravio patiently held out the apple and after a while the bird came out of its cowering position to hop over to his hand. He didn’t move when it eyed him suspiciously but a grin creeped onto his lips anyways when it began to eat. 

Now that it was closer, Ravio could see that it kept one of its wings closely pressed to its body. He furrowed his brows and bit his lip. “Are you hurt, little one? Did they hurt you?” His reply was only another chirp and when it looked like the bird was content enough not to jump away at the first move, Ravio slowly reached out to gently pet it. It leaning into the touch was probably a good sign.

“I don’t mean to sound like a party pooper but we should probably leave this place in the next few minutes. We never know when more of them will show up.” The Lolian put his bow away and after thinking about his idea for a moment he loosened the scarf around his neck to create a small bed for the bird to rest in. 

“What do you say, birdie? Want to stay with me until your wing is better?” His only reply was another chirp and Ravio watched in amusement as the bird began to settle down in his blue and black scarf. 

“If we are going to be a team, I should probably name you, hm?” 

Biting into the remaining apple, Ravio hummed as he took the right turn at the crossway.

“Well, what do you think about… Sheerow? It’s like a mix between sparrow and hero. And what you don’t know yet is that I’m actually going to save Hyrule.” He swallowed and grinned down at the bird. “At least that’s the plan.” He got a chirping noise in return and decided that it was good enough of an answer.

The stable finally came into view with the setting sun and Ravio smiled, a relieved sigh escaping his lips.

“The heroism can wait until tomorrow, Sheerow. For now we deserve a hot meal and a nice bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Click here for Ravio's design!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/620475261205577728/ravios-design-for-farbsturzs-fic-the-first)
> 
> I spent a lot of time trying to think of a design for Ravio. I wanted him to wear a tunic that resembled the downfall timeline one, while also keeping his characteristics of a rabbit. 
> 
> Regarding his mask, it was important to me that Link would be able to see at least a little bit of Ravio's face later on. I decided on a mask that would only hide the eyes and nose so Link could still see Ravio's smiles, pouts, and smirks in the story. 
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	5. Somebody help me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio reaches the stable and continues his journey towards Kakariko Village. He ends up being attacked but this time he isn't as lucky...

As expected, the bed had turned out to be quite nice, indeed. When Ravio had first entered the stable the people had looked him up and down, probably deciding whether he would be trouble or just a goofy traveller. All their worries had been thrown out of the window the second he had revealed some rupees for a hot meal. The Lolian could only guess that in a society as broken as this one it was rather difficult to earn rupees on a daily basis. 

Ravio had finally found himself laying on his back, a soft pillow under his head and a resting Sheerow on his chest. He had known better to remove his hood or mask. If what the king had said was true, then that Link had probably passed by here on his way to Kakariko Village. It was better safe than to be sorry and Ravio didn’t want to answer any unnecessary questions or cause problems for himself. Besides, after hours of wearing the mask he had gotten quite used to it already. It was almost a freeing experience knowing that his facial expression was partially hidden. The less people could read him the better it was for him. 

A finger absently stroked Sheerow’s back and Ravio found himself smiling when the bird chirped in content. It was nice to have a companion, even if it was an animal one. It made him feel less like a loner in a world he didn’t belong in. 

“—one, just like that! I thought I had to take a detour again but the camp was completely empty, wiped out entirely! It’s the first time in months that we made it here before sunset.” 

Ravio moved his head slightly to look over to a pair of travellers that had just entered the stable. They looked a bit out of breath but the woman was smiling while talking to the owner of this place. 

“Do you think those annoying monsters finally moved on?” The keeper asked, a brow raised in interest. The woman simply shook her head. “Their weapons were just laying around, all abandoned. And the fire was still cracking as well. I think somebody actually killed them. And you know what that would mean for us. We can finally travel safely until the next blood moon!”

Ravio closed his eyes beneath his mask and tried to bite back the small smile that had threatened to appear on his lips. His free hand pulled the hood even further down his face and the Lolian nuzzled into his blue scarf, a warm feeling spreading through his chest. Of course, those travellers could be talking about any monster camp really, but the one he had encountered seemed to be the closest one to this stable. A bubbling pride cooked underneath his usual pessimism and just this once Ravio allowed himself to bathe in the satisfaction. He had helped those total strangers and thanks to his actions they had made it here without any danger. 

It was a nice feeling. 

* * *

He had left rather early in the morning because Sheerow had thankfully woken him up. After Ravio had written down the new path descriptions towards Kakariko Town he had thanked the keeper and waved them goodbye. A small apple would suffice as his breakfast and when Ravio had eaten enough, he had offered the rest to Sheerow who had once again settled down in his scarf. 

Hyrule looked so peaceful and quiet in the morning sun. It was a strong contrast to the ever buzzing Lorule, at every corner you would meet a merchant, every other hour you would stumble into yet another little village or farm. His kingdom had flourished over so many centuries and Ravio was thankful for the time of prosperity his people had been experiencing. 

It had also made his job as an advisor easier. Not that Ravio had minded all the free time he used to have. After all, his best inventions had been born in that time of peace, and it had allowed him to be around Hilda most of the time. Some of his fondest memories dated back to boring political meetings where they had made fun of the lieutenants behind their backs. 

Where Lorule had been full of life, Hyrule felt untouched, almost abandoned. Ravio guessed it only made sense. The Hylian king was deceased and his daughter trapped in a castle with the most unpleasant guest you could imagine. There was no one left to rule or order, and most Hyruleans had learned to stay within their confined villages, far away from the parasite problem in the heart of the kingdom. 

Ravio was pulled out of his thoughts when he encountered the first little bridge he had to cross. He eyed the wood suspiciously and pulled his hood back a bit to get a better picture of the situation. The bridge he had to cross looked study enough, even if the wood had surely seen better times in the past. Moss had grown over the wooden beams and Ravio hesitantly planted a foot on the bridge to test its durability. Sure, it wouldn’t be a big fall, not at all, but he wanted to cross without being soaked wet. 

He could feel Sheerow’s judging gaze but refused to acknowledge it at all. It wasn’t his fault he was rather picky. 

After some testing and a little impatient nudge from his feathery companion Ravio finally crossed the bridge without any problem. It creaked here and there under his feet but from what he could tell it was still pretty much intact after probably a century without being looked after.

“What do you think this hero is like?” 

Green eyes moved down to look at the bird hiding in his scarf and Sheerow chirped in confusion, its head tilted. 

“I mean like, I’ve never met a hero in my life so I don’t really know what to expect. I’ve only read about them in history books and really, if you’ve ever met the royal writers you will know that they love to weave the stories however they like. Most of the time they overdo whatever actions had been taken in the past.” He waved around with his hands, trying to emphasize his point. “So will he wear a shining armor or be in possession of the legendary sword or is there a sign nearby pointing him out as the Chosen Hero?”

Sheerow simply chirped in return and Ravio couldn’t help but laugh. “Me? Oh no, I’m not a hero. I’m a poor dude who happened to be named after a guy from legends so everyone just expected me to save Lorule from… I don’t know, maybe high taxes or something. You see, in my kingdom there is the saying that the hero’s spirit will only reveal itself when its kingdom needs him the most. And Lorule, as I have told you, is in its prime time. So really, it’s thanks to whoever named me that I was even good enough for the king to notice.” Ravio shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms in thought. 

“Okay, I will admit it wasn’t just the name. I’ve always had a weird birthmark on my hand and once the king had seen it he had insisted on me moving into the castle. But really, that was the only good thing this triangle has ever done for me. Usually it just itches or burns me when I’m not wise enough for its liking. It’s like an annoying parent but its disappointing glare freaking fries my skin.” Glaring at his hand, Ravio hoped the stupid thing was listening. His expression, however, softened somewhat when Sheerow chirped in concern. “Ah, it’s fine. It’s like burning your tongue on hot food, it hurts but just for a moment. I can only imagine that both of us aren’t happy we ended up with each other.” 

Approaching the second bridge on his path, Ravio pulled out the description he had quickly written down. Apparently this was the so-called Eagus Bridge and they would need to cross it in order to proceed towards Kakariko Village. It was longer than the former one and by the looks of it way higher as well. 

Ravio groaned. 

He had only made it a few meters onto the bridge when the neighs of horses reached his ears. The Lolian turned around and his face paled the moment he saw freaking Bokoblins riding horses, their spears twirling over the heads as they clearly headed towards his direction. 

“Oh shit!” 

Quickly entering a sprint, Ravio cursed Lolia and anyone who cared to listen as he was being chased down the bridge. His heart was beating so Goddess damn loudly that he could barely listen to the approaching animals and Sheerow’s panicked chirps didn’t help him at all. His lungs were burning, his breath uneven and Ravio gritted his teeth as he forced his legs to go faster. 

He had only crossed a third of the bridge when he dared to look back and his heart stopped a beat when he noticed how close the monsters had gotten. 

There was no way he could make it.

This was it.

Ravio was done for. 

“HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!” He screamed from the top of his lungs until his voice broke off, leaving him breathless and panicking in fear. There was no escape, no time to search for a weapon. Ravio had been reckless and he would have to pay for it with his life. 

His left hand began to glow underneath his glove and a sudden calmness overwhelmed the Lolian, almost causing him to trip over his own feet. He knew what he needed to do, even if it resulted in only a small possibility of survival. 

Turning on his heel, Ravio came to a sudden stop on the bridge. Every muscle tensed up in his body and his hands were clenched into fists as he waited in quiet agony. His eyes never left the approaching figures but he sent the bird a reassuring smile, hoping to calm its (and by extension his own) mind. The warmth on his hand was comforting and Ravio furrowed his brows when he noticed something move behind the two Bokoblins. Whether it was backup for the monsters, he didn’t know, all he could make out was another horse hurrying over to his ugly situation. 

Ravio shifted his weight and crouched down slightly, ready to jump when the moment was right. In his mind he counted down from three and the moment the Bokoblins had reached him, weapons aiming for his head…

…he jumped off the bridge. 

His hands barely managed to reach for the damp wood and for a fearful second Ravio thought he would actually fall. His nails dug into the board and the Lolian held onto it as his body moved with the momentum of his fall, only making it more difficult to hold onto. A suffocating grunt left him and the boy bit his lip bloody as he tried to pull himself back up but his hands kept on losing their grip and he feared he would be out of strength any second. 

The sudden screams and noises from the bridge pulled his attention away from his timely decease. Whatever was going on up there didn’t sound pretty, as Ravio could make out the painful cries of a monster. The horses neighed and whatever was causing the ruckus knew how to be quick. Only moments had passed before a Bokoblin had been tossed off the bridge, barely missing Ravio as it fell to its demise. 

“What the…” The commotion came to a sudden halt and the Lolian held his breath, bracing himself for whatever had dealt with the creatures that easily. He wanted to pull himself up and see for himself but green eyes widened when his right hand began to cramp.

Crying out in pain, Ravio had to watch as his fingers lost their last grip on the bridge. The moment seemingly played out in slow motion as he desperately tried to reach for anything but gravity had already clawed into his body, determined to pull him towards his death.

Staring up into the sun, Ravio felt himself fall...

...Only to be stopped by a hand wrapped around his arm, nails digging into his skin. 

Wide green stared up into brilliant blue eyes and Ravio could do nothing as the boy put his all into pulling him back up towards the bridge. There were many things that raced through the Lolian’s head, be it the sun kissed hair of the stranger or the all too familiar facial features. But in the end only one thought rang through his mind.

The face he was staring at was his own.

Ravio had found him.

Ravio had found Link, the failed Hero of Hyrule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this the boring introduction arc officially ends. Now get ready for a remainder of around 135k words with those two losers in its focus. 
> 
> From here on out the POV will change from time to time so you guys won't just follow Ravio around but Link as well. 
> 
> Also Ravio's relationship with the Triforce of Wisdom is 'complicated'. He hates it because of the responsibilities and expectations it forced onto him, and the Triforce will punish him for reckless actions. However, as you have probably noticed it also provides Ravio with a clear mind and a calmness in dangerous situations so he can fully think a strategy through and come up with the best course of action. So yeah... 'complicated' describes it rather well.
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	6. A totally not-suspicious travelling merchant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link didn't think much of saving that weird guy from Bokoblins. The merchant, however, would quickly turn out to be some persistent character.

Grunting in an effort to keep the guy from falling, Link carefully began to pull him up. He himself was laying spread out on the bridge and he thanked the Goddess that this dude wasn’t weighing as much as he had looked like from afar. The Hylian braced himself and held steady as the stranger regained his lost grip on the bridge. With the shared effort of the two of them they managed to climb back onto the wood and Link fell onto his back from exhaustion, the stranger right next to him. They were laying together for a moment or two, the blessed silence interrupted by heavy breathing and panting. 

“That… that was…” the guy whispered, a hand disappearing beneath his hood as if he wanted to run his fingers through his hair. “Horrible! Let’s never do that again!”

Raising a brow, Link got up from his position on the ground and picked up his bow he had thrown away in favor of diving after the traveller. He checked his weapon and grimaced upon noticing that it was badly damaged already. That meant he would have to look for a new one soon. 

His attention went back to the stranger and Link took his time taking in the odd appearance. The guy was wearing some light armor over a purple tunic and a blue and black scarf was tightly wrapped around his neck. What stood out the most, however, was the oversized hood concealing most of his face and if Link’s assumptions were right there had been bunny ears sewn to its back. It was a weird choice in fashion but looking down at himself Link guessed that he couldn’t be too judgemental. His own clothes were worn out and the old shirt he was wearing gave no protection at all. 

_He doesn’t seem to be dangerous…_ With that thought in mind the Hylian closed the distance and offered the traveller his hand. The other startled at his presence and seemed to think for a moment before accepting it. Link pulled him up and once they were on the same level he could see that the boy was wearing a mask over his eyes. 

This guy certainly knew how to dress himself suspiciously. 

There was a beat of silence in which neither said anything and Link was growing anxious. He felt as if the stranger was taking him apart with just a glance and the lack of facial features put Link at a disadvantage. The traveller could read his face all he wanted but the Hylian was left with nothing but a mouth that revealed a small tooth gap, adding to that whole bunny aesthetic. 

“Thank you so so much! Oh, if you hadn’t saved me I would have died! Died I say!” Link was startled when his hand was suddenly grabbed by two colder ones and he briefly looked down to the source of discomfort before the stranger spoke up again. “You are my hero! My knight in shining armor! How lucky I am to have such a courageous man save me!” His hand was being shaken vehemently and Link finally pulled away when he had had enough. His rude reaction however did nothing to taint the other’s euphoria as the stranger placed the back of his hand on his forehead, acting swooned. 

“Please, what is your name, Mr. Hero? How can I repay you for your endless kindness?” 

Link flinched. 

He had hoped that this little encounter would be over quickly but of course he hadn’t been lucky with this stranger. His fingers twitched in an attempt to speak but from what Link had gathered it was mostly useless to try any sort of communication in Hyrule. Hylians had lived in shelter since the catastrophe and barely anyone he had met so far had understood even a word he had signed. 

It made him feel like an outsider. Alienated by his own kingdom.

Pushing that thought away, Link attempted to smile as he touched his throat and shook his head. The guy stopped in his tracks and after a beat or two he lifted his hands to his cheeks, mouth formed in a silent ‘o’. 

“Oh Goddess, you’re mute? I am so sorry, I didn’t know! You should have said something, now I feel all embarrassed!” 

Link raised a brow, clearly unimpressed and the stranger must have noticed his slipup as he began to rub the back of his hood.

“Bad choice of words. But nevermind! I bet we will get along just fine! Because seeing as how you have already helped me out once you surely wouldn’t mind helping me out again, right? Right?” 

He didn’t wait for Link to ‘answer’.

“Ahh, I knew it! You see, I was heading towards Kakariko Village when these mean guys attacked me all of a sudden! The nerve of them! Anyways, I am all shaken up and scared now, but maybe we could travel together? You got my back and I got yours, Mr. Hero!” 

The idea of travelling with such a loud and suspicious stranger wasn’t that appealing, honestly, but Link silently cursed. They had the same destination and he couldn’t just wave this guy off and then walk the same path as him. With a defeated sigh he let his shoulders slump down and nodded, jumping out of the way when the stranger tried to grab his hand once again.

“Perfect! I knew you would love the idea! Let me introduce myself, buddy. The name’s Ravio and I’m a travelling merchant! And this here is my friend Sheerow!” 

The small chirping noise caught Link’s attention and he cautiously approached this Ravio person to look at the cause of the sound. A small white bird was resting within the merchant’s scarf and when their eyes met it chirped again, louder this time. Link couldn’t help but smile softly as he reached down to pet its head. 

“Sheerow here got attacked by a handful of Bokoblins. They hurt his wing and he can’t fly just yet but he’s okay. We decided to look out for each other for now.” Ravio’s voice was a lot softer and the sudden change in mood didn’t go unnoticed. Link looked up from the little bird only to be greeted by the wooden mask. However, the small smile on the merchant’s lips told Link everything he needed to know.

This guy might seem suspicious but he had a good heart. 

Putting some distance between the two of them once again, Link turned away from Ravio in order to check his Sheikah Slate. A quick glance to the map told him that they were still on the right track and after putting the device away he waved for the other to follow him. The merchant almost tripped over his own feet but was quick to catch up, walking behind Link to his left. Usually the Hylian wouldn’t show his back to a stranger but some gut feeling told him that Ravio had no intention of hurting him. So far he had been nervous in the presence of the king or the few travellers he had met but for the moment he felt content. 

Surprisingly enough, Ravio was mostly quiet for the first part of their journey. Link had expected him to be a fountain of stories or useless facts but whenever he looked over to the merchant the other was either distracted by something in their surroundings or would quickly look away as if he had been caught staring. Link hated the attention and he couldn’t figure out why the other was so interested in him, but he put that thought away for another time when Ravio finally decided to speak up.

“You know, I could teach you a sign or two if you’d like. That way we could communicate at least somewhat.”  
  


_Wait. What?_

Coming to a sudden stop, Link winced when the other walked straight into his back. Ravio let out a surprise squeak when they collided and he stumbled back while wide blue stared at him in surprise.

Link licked his lips and finally allowed his hands to move, eyes never leaving the other when he finally began to sign. 

_“You know sign language?”_

Ravio’s mouth turned into a huge grin and the merchant nodded vehemently, causing the bunny ears to move with him. 

“Of course I do! You could say I’m fluent in it.” He proudly puffed his chest out, hands on his hips. 

Link returned the grin with a hesitant smile of his own, a giddy feeling spreading through his chest. 

_“And here I thought I would have to endure you talking my ear off in forced silence.”_ Link couldn’t help but sign, his smile turning into something more teasing. His good mood only improved when Ravio placed a hand over his heart, acting as if he had just been shot. 

“You wound me, Mr. Hero! I’ll have you know that everything I say is of value! In fact, I think you should actually pay me for all that wisdom I’m going to share with you!” 

Link thought about the deal for a moment. _“What if I paid for your silence instead?”_

Ravio smiled slyly and he held out his hand. “500 rupees per hour and I will be as quiet as the thoughts of an Octorok.” 

_“Tempting._ ” The Hylian gestured towards his own appearance. _“But do I look like a man of wealth?”_

“Point taken. You are just as broke as I am.” 

The two boys fell back into a comfortable pace and now that Ravio knew that they could communicate, the merchant made sure to walk side by side with him. They made their way up the hills towards the higher mountains of the region and besides Ravio’s complaints about the stupid location of the village their conversations were mostly light hearted. 

Link couldn’t help but notice Ravio’s accent whenever he spoke for longer amounts of time. It wasn’t that distracting but there was always something off about the way he would pronounce certain sentences or use idioms the Hylian didn’t understand. It made him wonder just where exactly Ravio had grown up but those questions would be crossing the line. They weren’t friends, far from it, and it wasn’t Link’s place to ask personal questions. They all had their secrets to keep and failures to hide. Ravio seemed like a person intent on keeping his own life as hidden as possible. 

“So... Am I allowed to know my hero’s name?” 

Blinking in surprise, Link could feel his face heating up. He didn’t need to see the merchant to know that he was watching him in amusement. Goddess, had he seriously travelled with Ravio for hours now without telling him his name? 

_“Sorry.”_ he signed bashfully, even when Ravio laughed it off and patted his shoulder. 

_“I’m Link.”_ the Hylian spelled it out slowly, giving his acquaintance enough time to read it. 

“Link.” Ravio said with that soft voice of his, causing a shiver to run down Link’s spine. Something about the way the merchant pronounced his name was catching him off guard, almost as if the other put all his hope into those four letters.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Link.” Ravio said with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Click here for more art of Ravio and Link!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/620650864989913088/more-boys-for-my-gf-farbsturzs-ravioli-fic)  
> 
> 
> Well, here he is! Poor Link just wanted to help a stranger and now he's stuck with the guy until they reach Kakariko. At least it won't be a boring little trip, right?
> 
> Why Ravio knows sign language will be answered in a later chapter though it is connected to his former position in Lorule. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and a big thanks to everyone who has commented so far!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	7. Kakariko Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two travellers finally reach their first destination and Ravio has to think of a way to bribe Link into keeping him around.

Kakariko Village was buzzing with life. It was a stark contrast to the untouched nature outside the mountains but here, safely hidden from any monsters, the Hylians seemed to be thriving. Ravio readjusted his hold on the bag as he took their surroundings in. 

Hylians and animals alike were going about their day; farmers looked after their harvest and dogs chased after Cuccos. The laughter of children echoed throughout the village and Ravio couldn’t help but feel homesick. Before it had been easy to brush off Hyrule as an abandoned kingdom, to distance himself from his mission, but now that he saw the peaceful life of a thriving village the Lolian couldn’t help but be reminded of his own version of Kakariko. Ah, the countless times he and Hilda had walked over the market instead of meeting up with another boring politician. Sure, this Kakariko was located in a different spot but that feeling of _home_ was all the same. 

He swallowed the lump in his throat and placed a hand on Link’s shoulder as his other shielded his eyes. 

“Ohhhh! This must be the famous Kakariko Village! You are a brilliant guide, Mr. Hero! I doubted your sense of orientation for nothing!” 

Link looked offended and Ravio grinned, quickly moving his hands behind his hood. “Don’t give me that attitude, buddy! Look at your dirty and worn clothes, how was I supposed to know that _you_ actually knew where we were going! You could have been a thief dressed as a hero for all I care, luring an innocent and goodhearted merchant into his demise!” 

His companion’s reply was to simply enter the village by himself, leaving Ravio behind. The Lolian gasped loudly and quickly ran after the hero, falling into a step next to him. 

The duo soon found itself in the middle of the town and if Ravio had to guess then the big and important looking house would be their first stop. Two men were standing in front of the stairs leading up to the building and if that didn’t scream ‘meaningful’ then what did? Link apparently had the same thought as he walked past Ravio towards the guards. 

“Stop. No entrance for trespassers. State your purpose.”

Ravio wondered whether he should intervene and speak for Link, however the choice was taken from him when the men noticed that weird looking device hanging from Link’s belt. It was something that had left the Lolian to wonder as well but he had been too much of a coward to ask about it. Besides, it looked special enough for somebody like Link to keep it a secret from a random merchant. Ravio didn’t hold it against him, he too was rather secretive.

“Is that… That is the symbol of the Sheikah. That means you must be…” 

The men exchanged a knowing glance and finally stood aside, gesturing for Link to continue. Ravio could see the tension in the boy’s shoulders and walked up to him, intending on offering support. Though his attempt was cut short when the men placed themselves between him and Link, their eyes cold.

“ _Only_ the hero is allowed to speak to the great elder Impa. Whoever you are, you will wait outside.”

And by the tone of it this was their final statement. Ravio bit his lip and clenched his hands into fists but he quickly relaxed when he noticed worried blue looking at him. Even though he had a few chosen words on his tongue he was too much of a coward to cause a scene. Instead, the Lolian waved it off and sent Link a bright smile. 

“Very important people only, Mr. Hero! Go on and have some fun, I will look for the inn!” Ravio’s smile faltered for a moment. “If you want to meet up afterwards, that is…”

Link’s expression was a carefully placed mask and Ravio grew anxious when he couldn’t read his counterpart’s thoughts. His hands began to fiddle around with his scarf but Link’s soft smile helped easing his nerves. 

_“I will meet you there.”_

He watched his counterpart disappear into the house and with a small sigh Ravio began to walk away. The glare he sent the guards remained undetected and the boy wandered down the road to visit the few shops they had here. Ravio was quick to find out that he could buy some resources for his next journey and to his delight there was even an armory shop. Sure, the Sheikah armor wouldn’t fit him at all but that Hylian outfit…

Sighing to himself, Ravio pulled out his wallet and began to count his rupees. 

* * *

The inn was nice enough. Sure, it was a bit more on the simpler side but Ravio couldn’t complain when there was a warm fireplace and barely a soul around. He was the only traveller who had checked in for the night and he used the spare time to simply kick his legs up and pet Sheerow in front of the fire. 

Link was an interesting person, Ravio had concluded. The fact that he was mute had surprised the Lolian and he couldn’t help but think about the countless times Hilda had pointed out his fondness of rambling. Where Ravio was a waterfall of words, Link was a quiet stream. But his counterpart didn’t need to speak aloud to show his personality. He seemed adventurous and easy to talk to, ready to counter any of Ravio’s remarks at a moment’s notice. Though there were times when he seemed distracted, staring off into the distance without any reaction whatsoever. Ravio couldn’t imagine what it would be like; waking up without your memories nor the ability to speak. Link seemed to handle it well but if they were anything alike then he was hiding more than Ravio could see at the moment. 

They both were actors in their own genres, simple roles in a play written and directed by unseen Goddesses. 

Sheerow chirped happily when a door opened and Ravio turned around to see Link entering the inn. His expression was thoughtful and sad.

“Welcome back, Mr. Hero!” He waved his arms widely and the moment Link noticed him the worry was hidden once again.

_“You already made yourself at home?”_ Link raised a brow and gestured towards his legs laying on a chair. Ravio was quick to sit up properly and he offered the sitting place to the other. 

“I am but a simple traveller, Mr. Hero. Right now I don’t have a home but anything that offers warmth and food gets close enough.” 

Link sat down next to him, blue focused on the fireplace and Ravio watched as Sheerow hopped from his knee over to the Hylian’s. It settled down on Link’s chest and after a moment of hesitation his counterpart began to pet the bird. 

“So? How did that super important super secretive meeting go?” Ravio asked with a lighthearted voice, trying not to appear too interested in whatever quest the hero had been sent on. 

_“Good, I guess. A lot to unpack.”_

Ravio waited another minute but when it was apparent that Link didn’t want to tell him more, the Lolian sighed quietly. He couldn’t push Link into opening up to him, but he had at least thought of a way to buy some of his trust and friendship. Rummaging through his bag, Ravio pulled out a set of clothes and offered it to Link, a toothy grin on his lips.

“Here, Mr. Hero! I wanted to show you my gratitude and I found this in one of the stores! See it as a gift because you saved my life!” 

He handed over the bundle of clothes and bit his lips as he waited for the other to to unfold the outfit. It was nothing too flashy, a simple Hylian hood woven from sturdy material, a lightly armored tunic with a fabric that didn’t limit any movements, and some common trousers that felt nice to the touch. Still, the outfit was definitely better than what Link was currently wearing and while it had cost him a little, Ravio couldn’t deny that the surprised expression on the Hylian was worth the price. 

_“For me…?”_ Link signed unsurely, looking dumbfounded. It almost pained Ravio to think that the hero wasn’t used to being given things. Someone like Link would give his damned life for his kingdom and yet receive nothing in return. 

“All yours, buddy! And if you hate it then tough luck because they said they weren’t gonna refund me anything!” Ravio’s grin softened and he lightly punched Link’s shoulder. “You helped me when I needed you so let me return the favor. And if you don’t know what to say you can simply thank me.” 

They looked at each other and there was some kind of emotion in blue eyes that Ravio couldn’t read. 

_“Thank you.”_

Sheerow chirped in protest when Link suddenly stood up and the Hylian sent the bird an apologetic smile before placing it back onto Ravio’s shoulder. He watched as his companion left the room with the clothes in hand and it was rather obvious what he had planned. While Link was changing his clothes the merchant ordered them two bowls of hot stew. 

_“How do I look?”_ Link signed when he reentered the living space, now dressed up in the Hylian outfit. Ravio took his time to admire the new appearance and he sent his companion a toothy smile.

“Like a respected member that finally joined civilization. Really, anything is a step up from those dirty clothes. Where did you get them from, anyways? Robbed a corpse?” 

The Hylian sat down at the table and sent him a death glare before reaching for his own bowl of food. 

_“Look who's talking. What kind of merchant wastes more money than they make? You haven’t even tried to sell me anything yet.”_

Ravio put his spoon down and placed his hand on his chest, an offended look on his face. “Are you calling me a bad merchant? If I remember correctly I offered you my silence in return for rupees. It’s not my fault you are so broke that trying to sell you anything would be a waste of time.” 

He bit his lips, unsure on how to tackle the next topic. There was no way around it…

“And maybe I bought those clothes for you as an investment.” 

_No going back._

Link raised his brow and stopped eating, causing Ravio to fidget underneath the blunt attention. 

“Look, I know we only just met and that you don’t know me, and I know that it would be a huge jump from where we are right now but… I thought that maybe we could… you know…” _Just say it._ “Travel together for a little while?” His voice broke at the end and Ravio looked down at his bowl, too much of a coward to face Link at the proposition. “As I said, I’m just a travelling merchant and after that accident today I realized that I am pretty much screwed all by myself. When I first came here I thought that maybe I could handle it but today I was scared to death. If it wasn’t for you I don’t know where I would be…” Ravio took a shaking breath and hated just how weak he sounded. “To me you seem like a person who won’t stay in one place, the way you fiddle around and shift your weight shows that you are itching to move on... You are a fighter, all courageous and ready to jump in when somebody needs your help... And I am just… me. I am a coward and when I look at Hyrule with that scary looking volcano or those high mountains I can’t stop thinking that I won’t make it. I am just an useless excuse of a” — _hero—_ “traveller.” He finished. 

The room was quiet except for the crackling of the fire. Ravio slid down his chair, trying to disappear into the ground as his hood fell more and more into his face. He was hiding himself from his counterpart of all people and the Lolian felt like an absolute failure. Here he was, in a mirror kingdom of his own, on a mission to help the Hero of Hyrule and all he could do was share his pathetic story and try not to cry. 

Lolia had chosen the wrong person. 

A light tap on his wrist tore Ravio out of his thoughts and he peeked up from underneath his hood. Link was looking at him with obvious concern and once he had noticed that he had gained Ravio’s attention, he smiled softly. 

_“I…”_ Link started before he considered his next words. _“I wouldn’t mind it. The company, I mean. But I should warn you that my journey is going to be difficult and dangerous. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”_

Ravio felt a weight being lifted from his shoulders. He didn’t trust his voice just yet so instead he began to sign back, much to Link’s pleasant surprise. _“We will have each other's backs. I’m not a fighter but I know how to treat wounds.”_ The Lolian smiled. _“I promise I won’t be a burden.”_

“And you know what they say…” He continued, now speaking once again. “It’s dangerous to go alone.” 

* * *

The rest of the evening the boys had spent together discussing the next stop on their shared journey. Link had said something about visiting the Zora’s Domain and while a shiver had run down Ravio’s back, he had kept quiet about his worries. Maybe the Zoras in Hyrule were different than the ones he had to deal with at home. A path had been chosen and after they had finished their food Ravio had excused himself.

Now laying on his bed, the Lolian sighed heavily as he stared up at the ceiling. 

“That could have gone better…” 

Sheerow had settled down in his abandoned scarf on the table and simply chirped in response. 

“I know, I know. A nice guy like Link wouldn’t have pushed the door into my face. But that’s also what I’m worried about, Sheerow. What if he just pretends to like me out of politeness? What if he actually thinks I’m an annoying idiot?”

Another chirp. 

“... You got a point, he really doesn’t seem like somebody who cares about being polite…”

Ravio got up with a sigh and began to undress for the night. His hood was pushed back and he ran a hand through his slightly sweaty hair, grimacing at the state he was currently in. He would have to take a bath in the early morning if he wanted to get clean before Link woke up. Next up was his mask and he carefully placed it on the little table next to his bed, making sure it was in arms reach if he ever needed to act quickly. The rest of his clothes followed until he was wearing nothing but a simple white shirt and his pants. 

Ravio was just about to lie down when Sheerow chirped in panic and he turned around on his heel, his hand instinctively reaching for his ice rod. Wide green scanned the small room for any danger but he neither saw nor sensed anything in their presence. After a moment or two of intense listening the Lolian finally turned to the small bird to see what all that ruckus was about. 

Sheerow was looking at him with big red eyes as his healthy wing flapped in surprise. Ravio furrowed his brows in confusion when it finally hit him.

His feathery companion had never seen him without his disguise. 

Hurrying over, the Lolian quickly placed a hand on the bird in hopes of calming him down. If Sheerow was too loud somebody would surely come to check up on them. 

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s me, Ravio. Your friend.” He showed his signature smile and thanked the Goddess when the bird seemed to calm down a little. It hopped onto his hand and chirped in confusion, this time quieter. 

“Just like twins, right?” His smile got weaker. “I will explain everything to you but you have to promise me not to tell Link. He can’t know about me.” He waited for the bird to chirp in agreement and when Sheerow did, Ravio moved back towards the bed and sat down. A hand ran through his dark hair and he noticed that it had gotten longer since his last cut. He would have to take care of that eventually. 

“Let me tell you about a faraway kingdom called Lorule…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Summary art of the last scene!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/620762020543873024/summary-of-todays-chapter-for-nothing-more)
> 
> May their journey officially begin! 
> 
> I find it interesting to write the disconnect between Ravio's actual intentions and the persona he chose to play. In the last chapter we saw him act over the top and to Link he was just a weird if friendly guy. In this chapter he feels a lot more insecure and homesick but he continues to play it down. 
> 
> In later chapters I especially enjoyed writing smaller moments where his persona breaks and his actual personality will come through. When he will say something meaningful or serious that clashes with the merchant role he built up. Just little contradictions here and there.
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	8. The mysterious merchant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio get to know each other until they stumble over a new enemy.

Waving goodbye to the innkeeper, Link smiled and nodded when she told them to take care. The sun was just rising but Ravio had insisted on them starting early. Something about a bird and a worm and leaving enough distance behind them before the next sunset. 

For now the newfound duo headed north through the forest behind the village. The bird Sheerow was sitting comfortably in his signature spot in the scarf and Ravio had a small jump to his walk. Whether he was in a good mood or simply relieved to leave again, Link wasn’t sure. The Hylian absently ran a hand over his sleeve and smiled at the softness the texture provided. Why the merchant had spent so many rupees on him was still a mystery and Link wondered if it had been an attempt to bribe him. It had been successful, after all. 

“Now that we are officially buddies, I’m dying to ask you about that fancy item you got on your belt. Care to explain why it has the same symbol on it like those in Kakariko?” Ravio nudged his side and with a small sigh Link removed the item from its resting place, giving the merchant a pointed glance before handing it over to the boy for a better look. 

_“Apparently it’s a Sheikah Slate. The Sheikahs are—”_ “A group of loyal royal vigilantes who do the dirty work. I know.” Link raised a brow at the rather negative descriptions of the group but he would ask about it another time. _“One… morning I woke up with that slate next to my resting place. It’s a gift from the royal family and it helps me on my adventure. Got a map, acts as my inventory and it got a few cool tricks here and there.”_

Ravio hummed in interest but finally returned the slate to its owner. Link didn’t show his relief and quickly put it back on his belt. “Fancy little thing. It’s probably futile to ask if you wanted to sell it?” It was said jokingly enough that Link wasn’t scared of the merchant stealing it from him. Something about Ravio’s dismissive behavior told him that the other wasn’t too keen on that slate of his anyway.

_“It’s my turn to ask a question."_ Link signed instead and the other motioned for him to continue. _“Why did you decide to become a merchant? You seem bad at your job.”_ He watched as Ravio laughed and a hand disappeared underneath the hood, probably to rub his neck. 

“Truth is, I guess I’m not really one yet. I always wanted to become one, though. I don’t know, opening a shop and selling my inventions, making a name for myself and living in a small but comfy village. Living the simple life, I guess that is my dream. And hey, I might not be a good merchant yet but I will learn.” He smiled toothily and Link once again noticed the tooth gap, a faint red on the boy’s cheeks. “At least I want to.”

Well, that hadn’t been the answer Link had expected. He felt a little bit flustered by the open honesty and the Hylian turned away, pulling his own hood over his face. It was such trivial information but Link tried to imagine the other in a shop, loudly welcoming every potential customer and trying to talk them into buying even the most expensive items. 

_“Inventions? What kind of?”_ he asked curiously but a finger in his face interrupted him. “Nope, you had your question. It’s my turn again, you don’t get to skip the rules of this game.” 

Link raised his brow but grinned. _“So this is a game now?”_ He couldn’t stop himself from chuckling when Ravio threw his hands into the air, an annoyed cry leaving him. “And that’s another question! You never play by the rules, do you!” The merchant shoved his hand into Link’s face before he had the chance to start signing. “And that, my friend, was a rhetorical question and does not require an answer!”

Grinning from ear to ear, Link lifted his hands in surrender and gestured for the other to continue. 

“Anyways, what was it that I wanted to ask before I was so rudely interrupted.” Ravio touched his lips and snapped his fingers. “Seeing as how I just shared my deepest desires and dreams, what about you? What is it that you want to do with your life?”

What was it indeed? Link hadn’t thought about it yet, partially because after he had woken up he had been given a task, a ‘good luck’ and off he had gone into the big unknown world. Link knew what he was supposed to do, what pretty much everyone else expected of him. Save the princess, defeat the monster, and bring peace to Hyrule. But if he actually managed to pull all this off, what would he do afterwards? What was it that he wanted to do? A nagging voice told him that he had only ever wanted to become a knight, to serve the royal family and be content with it. But Link found that thought so… so _boring_. Getting lost on his way to Kakariko Village had been an exciting experience. Sure, he had a bucket list to work on but no one had told him _how_ to do these things. He was free to decide and honestly, it was thrilling. Link didn’t want to wear some heavy armor and stand guard in front of a big gate, he wanted to collect ingredients, fight monsters and climb the highest mountains. 

_“I’m not sure. I don’t… I don’t remember much, you know? I was told that I was badly hurt and after waking up from my injuries my mind was just… blank. I don’t know what I’m supposed to want but…”_ He shrugged his shoulders and looked towards the mountains and hills surrounding them. _“I like exploring. Not knowing where you are going, or what will await you around the next corner. It’s fun. I want to be as free as a bird and see everything in Hyrule. Sleep under the night sky, explore ruins, that kind of stuff.”_

Link smiled to himself as he rambled on and when he looked over to his companion, he saw that Ravio was watching him, his smile mirrored on the boy’s lips. He felt a little bashful at the unnoticed attention and waved the rest of his thoughts away. 

“We got quite different ideas for our future, you and I. But hey, if you go around exploring I’m sure I could get you to collect some rare gems and stones for me. We could become business partners. It would be profitable for us both. I get the materials for the inventions and sell my items and you get to be dirty and sweaty and bruised from climbing.” 

Link snorted and lightly pushed Ravio away from himself. _“Careful, bunny boy, your inner merchant is showing. Besides, I would only agree if we were to split it 50/50.”_ He watched in amusement as the other choked on his spit, seemingly scandalized by his offer. 

“50? _50?_ You must have hit your head, Mr. Hero, that is a monstrosity! I would put all the hard work into my items and sell them while you climb for an hour or two! You should be grateful if I offered you 5 percent!” 

_“If climbing is that easy why don’t you just do it then?”_ Link pointed over to the mountains surrounding them. They were sauntering through the Lanayru Road and the narrow West Gate opened up in front of them. If someone felt like climbing it was as good a place to start as any. But apparently Ravio felt different as he simply crossed his arms, a pout on his lips. 

“Point taken. It’s your turn.” 

_“So about those inventions?”_

They came to a stop at a cliff and the dead end forced Link to shift his attention from Ravio to the task at hand. Just across the river there was yet another Sheikah Tower and the Hylian knew that he needed to synchronize with it if they wanted to find the Zora Domain. He had half the mind to simply jump off and glide across, but for the first time Link realized that he had to think for two now.

That could become a problem. 

“What’s that weird tower? I’ve seen it around but it kinda doesn’t fit into this whole nature aesthetic Hyrule got going on.” Ravio mumbled under his breath, his arms on his hips. “Is it a birdhouse? For those Ritos?” 

Link simply snorted and shook his head. _“I kinda caused them to appear. They are ancient Sheikah relics and I can use my Slate to get a copy of the surrounding map. I have to climb it if we want to continue our way.”_

His companion groaned at the idea and Link watched as Ravio carefully edged closer to the cliff, seemingly staring down. A yelp escaped him and he quickly backed off again once he had seen the height they were at. 

Link bit his lip. He had no idea how to get Ravio across the river. Sure, his glider could carry one person but the Hylian was unsure of its limits. Besides, the idea of hanging off that glider with two seemed like one of the worst ideas he had had so far. With a sigh he ran a hand through his hair.

_“I’m not sure ho—”_ “You asked about my inventions, right?”

Looking up, Link watched as the merchant began to rummage through his bag, a wide and confident grin on his lips. A victorious “Aha!” escaped Ravio and he pulled forth a green staff with odd looking fans sticking out at the top. The appearance reminded Link of a windmill.

“Don’t worry about me, Mr. Hero. But do you have a way to cross the distance?” 

Still hesitant as to how that staff was supposed to be a solution, Link nodded and showed off the glider he had received from the king. Ravio simply hummed and twirled the rod in his hand, an action that seemed smooth enough to suggest that the other had some experience with the item. 

“If I understand it correctly you simply glide, right? Are you sure we are high enough for you to reach the other side? Don’t want you to suddenly drop into the waters below.” Ravio sent him a cocky grin and he twirled the staff one more time before taking a steady hold of it. 

_“I should be fine. If I crash into the mountain I will simply climb up.”_

Ravio hummed and Link noticed the way the merchant seemed to impatiently tap his foot against the ground. It was surprising, to say the least. So far his companion had always described himself as a coward but right now Link saw nothing of that. Whatever that rod was, Ravio had enough trust in it to not be scared. It almost appeared as if he was looking forward to showing it off. 

Link continued to watch the merchant even when Ravio noticed the attention. They looked at each other for a moment or two, silence their only song, and almost simultaneously they nodded. 

Link was the first to jump off the cliff. The moment his feet stopped touching the ground he pulled out the glider and the now familiar jolt ran through his body as his weight was held by nothing but his arms. Blue were closed and he sighed as the wind caressed his face, running its invisible fingers through his hair. Up here he was free.

“Impressive, Mr. hero!” He heard over the rush in his ears and Link suddenly remembered that he wasn’t alone. He looked over his shoulder towards the voice.

Ravio was grinning from ear to ear as he held onto the green staff with only one hand. Its fans were rotating quickly, keeping the Hylian in the air, and a faint purple glow surrounded not only the item but the merchant himself. Link could feel how the wind was manipulated around Ravio, how his friend was somehow bending the element to his will. 

It was a breathtaking sight. 

He had dozens of questions but with his hands occupied Link had no way of asking. Instead he simply watched in awe and Ravio seemingly noticed his obvious staring because he laughed in amusement. 

“Hold onto your little toy, Mr. Hero!”

Link watched in confusion as Ravio glided over to him and the moment the purple glow became stronger, Link found himself being pushed further into the air alongside the merchant. He quickly looked down only to see a miniature tornado being the source of the sudden gust of wind. 

The Hylian couldn’t help himself. He began to laugh quietly. 

Too soon did they reach the other side of the river and Link mourned the loss of freedom as they once again landed on solid ground. His hair was messy and he had to blow a few loose strands out of his face but the grin never left when Ravio landed next to him, his arrival a bit more clumsy than his own. Link quickly grabbed the other’s arm and stopped him from tripping over. 

“Thanks, buddy!” 

Now that they were closer, Link noticed the absence of that purple glow. Ravio seemed slightly out of breath and judging by his slumping body language he seemed exhausted. From what, Link couldn’t tell.

_“What was all that! You have to tell me!”_ he signed impatiently, wanting to know what all that had been about. 

“That, my dear friend, was magic.” As if to emphasize his point Ravio wiggled his fingers. He straightened his back again and while Link did let go of the other’s arm, he made sure to stand close enough to react if something were to happen. 

_“Magic? You can use magic?”_

“Oh yes, I sure can. I’m not good at many things but magic was always a talent of mine. Though I can’t use it without a converter.” He gestured towards his staff. “This here is my tornado rod. It can create a little… well, tornado that pushes you into the air. Useful if you need to reach a higher floor or want to stop yourself from falling to your death.” Ravio smiled a little. “It can also be used for gliding if you know how to regulate your magic on a minimal level.”

Link tried to follow along as well as he could. _“So that rod of yours pushed us back into the air?”_ Ravio nodded. “I got a rod for every element, basically. If you count ice as water, that is.” 

A sudden thought raced through Link’s head and he took Ravio’s hand into his own, dragging him back towards the edge of the hill they were standing down. He pointed down towards the river and pulled out his Sheikah Slate, quickly looking through the runes before he created a small ice pillar in the water. Puffing his chest out, the Hylian looked pleased with himself when Ravio whistled lowly. 

“Okay, I admit that’s a fancy little trick you got there. But!” The merchant lifted his finger and booped Link’s nose with a grin, quickly pulling away when the Hylian tried to slap the hand away. “I still win because I created this rod all by myself and you are just using the technology of some dead people.” 

Ravio danced around him with the rod twirling in his hand. “That’s one point for Ravio and zero for Mr. Hero! You gotta do better than that!” 

Sticking his tongue out, Link decided to leave the celebrating merchant alone. Instead he began to climb the Sheikah Tower. Ravio’s warnings of safety sure got washed away with the blowing wind and Link reached the top, taking a moment or two to enjoy the sight. The weather had been on their side so far and it was always impressive just how far he could see. All of Hyrule spread out around him but in the end his attention would always return to the dark castle and whatever enjoyment he had felt would be washed away. 

Right, he wasn’t out here to have fun. That voice, _princess Zelda,_ was fighting every day and holding out for him. Link couldn’t allow himself to be selfish. 

Once he had synchronized with the tower Link jumped off it again, ignoring the cry of panic from his companion as he simply fell. Only when he was already halfway down did he pull out his glider in order to soften the landing. Ravio rushed over to him and Link suddenly wondered just why the merchant was accompanying him. The reason for safety had been reasonable at first but when he thought about it, it was clear that nowhere would be more dangerous than by Link’s side. And then there was the odd contrast between Ravio’s self-portrait and his actions. Link had seen him on that bridge, had seen the change of behavior as if a switch had been turned. 

Ravio was a mystery.

Together, the two boys made their way down the hill, discussing those weird bones that surrounded the tower like fingers ready to close around them. It was a light hearted conversation but the moment was cut short when Link noticed something laying in the middle of their path. Without a word he reached out and yanked Ravio back by his sleeve, pushing him against a tree with his hand over the other’s mouth. That close Link could make out a few loose strands of dark hair that weren’t covered by the hood but he didn’t back off just yet. Instead, he shielded the merchant with his body and looked past the other towards the source of his concern. 

A black Hinox was snoring soundly just a few meters away from them, its huge stomach moving with each breath. Link caught sight of a handful of valuable weapons that hang around its neck. The bow especially interested him. Blue wandered back towards Ravio and Link lifted a finger to his lips before he stepped back. His companion’s face was slightly reddened and he moved past Link to look at their next obstacle. 

_“That’s a Hinox.”_ Link explained. _“I fought one before. They are slow but they pack a punch. If you get too close he will try and stomp you…”_ Ravio nodded and began to fiddle around with his scarf, a habit Link interpreted as nervousness. _“Do we have to deal with it? Or can we sneak past it?”_ The merchant asked, cowering behind the tree. It was clear that he didn’t like the idea of fighting the monster. Link felt bad for his answer. _“I doubt we can be quiet enough. It’s better if we use a surprise attack than letting it hit us first.”_ Thinking for a moment, Link added a small idea. _“You can stay here. Hide and stay out of the way, I will deal with it.”_

“But what about you?” Ravio whispered and Link wondered if his eyes looked as worried as his voice sounded. 

_“I’ll be fine. You’ll see.”_ Sending the merchant a confident smile, Link stepped out of the shadows. Though before he could get any further two colder hands wrapped around his own and he was pulled around, finding himself once again face to face with Ravio. The other bit his lip nervously and finally spoke up. 

“Take care, Link.”

He blinked in surprise. This had been the first time Ravio had called him by his name since he had introduced himself. A part of Link had even wondered whether the other simply used that nickname because he had forgotten… But the way Ravio said it again, with so much hope and worry, it tore at Link’s heart. He swallowed and simply nodded, waiting for Ravio to let go.

Sneaking up to the Hinox was always the easiest part. Link kept his breathing low as he placed one foot in front of the other, crouched down to reduce the sounds he was making. The Traveller’s Sword rested comfortably in his hand and once he was confident about the distance, Link stabbed the monster right through the rips. An ear deafening cry escaped the Hinox and Link quickly jumped several meters back as the giant struggled to stand up. Its big yellow eye blinked rapidly before focusing on him and the weapons around its neck shone in the afternoon’s sun. 

Adrenaline shot through his body. The thrill of an unfair fight never ceased to excite Link and he twirled the sword once in his hand before backing off again as the Hinox slammed its hands down where he had been a second ago. He began to run around the monster and reached for his bow, lining up the first shot at that too big eye. Exhaling slowly, Link let his arrow surge through the air and just as expected he hit bullseye. _Nice!_ The Hinox stumbled back and fell onto its backside, hands covering the lonely eye and Link knew that this was the opening he had waited for. The hero sprinted over and reached for the broadsword on the necklace, tearing it off before using it to leave several deep cuts on the monster’s bare chest. The creature screamed in rage and tried to grab him but Link was faster. Nailing his backflip, Link rushed in for another slice of attack before retreating once again. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and smiled, aiming yet again for the exposed eye. 

But as he lined the shot up Link’s heart stopped when the bow suddenly broke into pieces. 

_Well shit._

A silent yell escaped him as he barely jumped out of the way of a giant foot and Link rolled onto his side with a curse on his lips. He watched in disbelief as the Hinox tore a fully grown tree out of the ground, swinging it towards him like a bat. That freaking monster was seriously trying to flatten him! Link went into a defensive stance and eyed the bow still hanging from the necklace, teasing him with the cocky mistake he had made. Dodging one attack after another, the Hylian groaned to himself as his stamina began to betray him.

Link was done for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is. My great weakness, aka writing action scenes. How the heck do bodies and fights work? I certainly don't know. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	9. More than meets the eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link continues to dodge the attacks of the Hinox when he receives unexpected help.

Jumping out of the way, Link yelped when the tree missed him by barely a hair. The ground shook with its impact and the Hylian knew that he couldn’t continue this dance for long. He pushed himself onto his feet once more and ran past the Hinox, hoping to put some distance between himself and the monster. He turned around and gripped his sword, daring the creature to come any closer. 

Blue eyes watched every movement and just as expected, the Hinox swung its tree once again, ready to squash him like a fly...

...when suddenly something blindingly white flew straight past him, landing in front of the monster’s feet. It screamed in surprise when that substance began to grow, spreading around its legs and capturing it right where it stood. The Hinox desperately tried to free itself but the ice, as Link had realized, only clawed at its limbs, refusing to let go. 

“Link!” 

Ravio appeared next to him, a blue rod in his hand and a purple glow encasing his entire being. It shone brighter than before and Link could see the exhaustion in his friend’s body. And yet the smile he received was arguably brighter than the sun. 

“‘I will deal with it’ my ass! I may be a coward but that doesn’t mean I can’t play backup!” The merchant threw something at him and Link caught it instinctively, soon realizing that he had been handed a bow. It was clear that the weapon had been crafted with care and there were even a few iron pieces embedded to stabilize the bow some more. A small rabbit had been carved into the wood and Link knew that what he was holding in his hand was a delicate memento. 

He looked up and Ravio’s smile had softened greatly. 

“You are not alone anymore, Link. You can count on me to have your back.” 

Link watched with a dumbfounded expression as Ravio began to sprint away from him. A warm feeling spread through his body and the Hylian didn’t know why he felt like crying. Something about what Ravio had said had hit home but whatever it had been, it had given him the strength to continue. 

The cracking sound of ice pulled him back into reality. Link’s eyes narrowed as the Hinox finally freed himself and with his newfound confidence the boy sprinted towards the monster. Whatever Ravio would do, Link always needed to draw the attention to himself. 

And it worked. Just as expected the creature tried to attack the person closest to it. Link dodged an incoming fist and lined the next shot before firing his arrow. It hit the eye once again and he closed the rest of the distance to attack the exposed body. A slice here, a stab there, and it was time to back off. The Hinox stood up, trying to stomp him but Link was faster. 

“Link! Stay right where you are!” 

He wasn’t sure what Ravio had planned but he did as he was told. Readying himself, Link remained in one spot, watching as the Hinox came closer and closer. Soon there were barely any meters separating them and every cell in his body screamed at the Hylian to move, to dodge, to do _anything._ Link saw the Hinox lift the unrooted tree, clearly aiming to hammer him into the ground like a nail. But Link stayed where he was, his grip on the bow tight. The weapon came swinging for him from the left and the Hylian wondered if he had been wrong to trust Ravio. 

But not a second later he was catapulted into the air, a pillar of ice sprouting out from underneath him. The tree crashed into the ice and the Hinox shook from its collision, its eye wide as it searched for Link. 

_I’m up here, you little shit!_

Using the momentum, Link positioned himself just above the Hinox. He aimed his sword down and used his full body weight to stab the creature’s eye. It screamed one more time as its body turned black and before it could dissipate into nothing but dust, Link jumped off the monster’s shoulders. He landed with a heavy thud and panted as the Hinox crumbled down, leaving nothing but a few weapons, monster parts, and food behind. 

“You did it, Mr. Hero!” 

Link was too tired to react and he grunted in surprise when a body collided with his own, dragging them both to the ground. The Hylian groaned in pain as he was flattened but Ravio didn’t seem to care as he wrapped his arms around Link’s body, his hooded face buried in his shoulder. 

“I was so scared, Mr. Hero! You can’t just give me the impression that you can handle yourself and then get your ass kicked just like that! That recklessness could have gotten us both hurt!” 

Link knew that Ravio was once again being overdramatic but there was a lingering tone to his words, a hint that the merchant had actually been worried for his well being. This idea was only strengthened when the boy on top of him trembled and Link’s eyes softened, even if the other couldn’t see it. Wrapping his arms around Ravio, the Hylian squeezed him in a silent apology. 

They remained on the ground for another minute, one catching his breath and the other needing the comfort. Ravio was the first to move and when he got up, Link once again caught sight of the dark hair. A hand was offered to him and the merchant pulled him back onto his feet, retaking the bow with a mumbled thanks. Link meanwhile went to check out the items that had been dropped. The bow was the first weapon he took for himself, the rest disappeared into his inventory. He ran a hand through his sweaty hair and looked over to Ravio who had busied himself with organizing his bag and weapons. Link could see how exhausted his friend was, noticed how sluggish and slow each movement was. Worry chewed on his consciousness and the Hylian crossed the distance between the two of them, resting a hand on Ravio’s shoulder. 

_“Are you okay?”_ He signed once the other looked up and his brows furrowed in concern. The merchant tried to wave it off but Link simply squeezed the other’s arm, not letting the topic go.

“I’m fine, it’s just…” Ravio sighed and sat down on the ground as Sheerow hopped onto his knee. The little bird touched the boy’s hand in worry and chirped quietly. “Whenever I use too much magic I end up fainting. It’s annoying, it’s like all energy is sucked out of me and I feel completely drained. I usually recover after some food and sleep but until then I won’t be a lot of help. I’m sorry.” The merchant mumbled the last part and let his head hang low, hiding away from Link as if he expected to be scolded. It was like a slap to the face, the realization that Ravio was probably scared of being deemed useless. 

Link reached out and hesitantly lifted the merchant's chin with his fingers. It took a moment but when he was sure that the other was looking at him, he pulled his hand back and began to sign. _“Don’t apologize for saving me. It’s me who was in the wrong. I had known that my bow was damaged but I didn't look for a replacement.”_ He grinned toothily. _“This time you were my knight in shining armor. Thank you for helping me, Ravio.”_ Link took his time with the name, after all it was the first time he spelt it out. He wanted to put as much emotion into it as Ravio did whenever he called him by his name. And whatever Link had done it seemed to be working as the merchant returned his smile with a weaker one. 

_“I’m sorry for your magic. We can settle down for the rest of the day.”_

“But what about the Zora Domain? You are on an important mission, aren’t you? I can’t drag you down.” And by the Goddess did the desperation in Ravio’s voice hurt. 

Link shook his head. _“I could use some food as well. Hyrule has been waiting for a century, it can wait another day or two.”_

Ravio still didn’t seem convinced but Link needed him to understand that it was okay. He reached once again for his friend and cupped the other’s face with his hands, his thumbs pushing the corners of the mouth up. The Hylian continued this treatment until Ravio finally snorted and pushed his hands away, a now genuine smile on his lips. The reddening cheeks mirrored his own and Link grinned back as that warm feeling from earlier gathered in his stomach. 

_“I will make a campfire and cook us some food. You just sit back and relax.”_

“You can cook? Please, Mr. Hero, if you get any more perfect my poor fragile heart won’t be able to take it!” Ravio threw himself onto his back and clutched his heart, startling the poor bird that had gotten comfortable on his knee. Sheerow chirped in protest and the merchant laughed a quiet apology. 

An hour later both Link and Ravio had finished the remains of their mushroom skewers together with the last beams of the sun. Their bed rolls had been placed around the fire and while the merchant had already laid down, Link was adding some more wood to the flames. He simply stared into the warmth when a soft voice caught his attention. 

“Hey, Link?” Ravio’s voice was muffled by his scarf but the sleepiness seeped through it. His friend was laying on his side, the hooded head resting on his hand. Ravio was still wearing his mask but by now Link had gotten used to it. Those drawn eyes slowly grew on him. 

“What you said today.... About not knowing what you are supposed to want…” The merchant bit his lip for a moment before continuing. “I believe you shouldn’t think like that… We all have roles that were forced onto us but we don’t have to like it. Maybe a stupid prophecy or dream or destiny tells you what you _need_ to do but no one, not even the Goddesses, can tell you what you should want. It’s fine to have selfish desires. You can be born for one thing but you shouldn’t let it dictate your life.” 

Ravio took a shaking breath and turned away from Link and the fire, readjusting the blanket over his body as he curled into a ball.

“To others you might be the chosen hero but first and foremost you are a person. And a person should be allowed to want and dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapter, I needed to finish this "travelling arc" so I could transition to the Zora Domain next. The next chapter will be longer!
> 
> And here it is: My love for Ravio switching between using "Mr. Hero" and "Link". It's a concept I will play a lot with in this fic. As you guys probably have figured out, Ravio uses "Mr. Hero" whenever he wears the mask of a merchant, however there will be many times where he will break that facade and turn serious. I use these two names to show the clash of personalities Ravio is juggling with. When it's actually /him/ speaking, the real Ravio, he will use Link's name. No games, no jokes, only one burdened hero speaking to another (even if Link is unaware of that). So look out for the times he calls him by the name!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	10. Let it be enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio asks Link to trust him and the two meet their first Zora.

Ravio hated sleeping in the open. He hated the back pain, hated waking up to bugs in his clothes, and he especially hated the sore feeling that would come with it and stay for the rest of the day. 

Oh, he also hated how little Link seemed affected by it.

Mr. Perfect of course woke up not only early but full of energy as well. Ravio would have thrown his scarf at that stupid bright face if it hadn’t been for Sheerow sleeping in it. Instead he simply pouted at the Hylian who had dared to wake him up before the sun was even fully up. 

“With all due respect, Mr. Hero, but you _suck_.” Ravio mumbled and he noticed how low and rough his voice sounded. A side effect of being a morning grouch. He wanted to bury his face back into the little pillow but a tap on his shoulder was enough of a hint that Link wanted to say something. With a louder groan than necessary he finally sat up, his mood only worsening by the realisation that he could neither rub his eyes nor get rid of that big hood over his head. Fan-freaking-tastic. 

_“I made us breakfast?”_ It was a careful statement and Ravio could see that it was meant as an, even if not serious, apology. If anything Link seemed more amused by his bad mood. The Lolian decided not to reply verbally, instead he held his hands open and waited for an offered plate of whatever. 

Turned out Link had prepared them some vegetable omelet and while Ravio refused to give his companion the satisfaction, he did have to admit that it tasted heavenly. They were eating in silence and Ravio cut an apple into smaller pieces for Sheerow when the bird finally joined them for breakfast. 

“So, Zoras, hm?” Ravio said when the silence started to make him nervous. He absently played with his scarf, eyes scanning their surrounding over so often. “And you are sure they will let us enter their realm without any problems?” Link furrowed his brows but the merchant refused to explain himself. 

_“I think so. Impa said they would be cooperative and that they need help with their divine beast. It’s been acting up or something.”_

Ravio remembered the short story the king had told him about those mechanical beasts. Apparently they had been created as weapons against that Calamity Ganon but as irony loved to tease they had been overtaken by evil instead. Probably meant they weren’t as divine anymore. The Lolian huffed. He wasn’t a big fan of technology and luckily Lorule’s royal family had cut its ties to the Sheikah clan after that whole Triforce debacle. Sure, Hyrule seemed a bit more advanced with those towers and slates but then again it had been destroyed by the technology they had praised only a century ago. Ravio would rather rely on magic. It made more sense to him and it had its limits. Sure, magic could cause great pain but it could heal and help just as much. Why create technology that went against nature if you could work together with the energy surrounding you. Ravio didn’t need a weird slate to create ice that was bound to its source of water, he could summon ice simply by cooperating with the elements around him. 

“Let’s hope she’s right then. Where I come from Zoras are as hospitable as a group of Stalfos. Just as likable too. Dealing with them was always a pain in the ass, I can tell you that much.” Waving the apple around, Ravio took a bite off it even when Sheerow chirped his protests. Link cocked his head and seemed to be considering something. He had the odd habit of picking his nails whenever he wanted to speak up.

_“I was actually wondering… Where are you from?”_ Link bit his lip and quickly continued. _“It’s just, you got an accent and you speak about Hyrule as if you were foreign and you seem to have different experiences with a lot of things.”_

Ravio winced. Okay, this was probably on him and his loose mouth. He hadn’t even noticed that he had spoken so openly about the differences but the Lolian couldn’t blame himself for it. Lolia knew he held the world record for ranting and it was just too tempting to point out the obvious differences between their kingdoms. And then there was the fact that Link (for obvious reasons) felt so familiar to him. It was too easy to be relaxed with the Hylian around and a relaxed Ravio meant a talking Ravio. 

“Now now, Mr. Hero. I don’t think we have quite reached the level of friendship yet for you to unlock my backstory, have we?” The merchant smiled more confidently than he felt but it was easier to play a role than to be honest. “Of course, if you had the necessary wealth for it I might have reconsidered it but alas you are too poor to buy the information you seek. And that means…” Ravio stood up and stretched his aching bones. “My past is for me to know and for you to hopefully never find out.” 

He could see that Link was about to protest but Ravio kneeled down in front of the other, quickly placing his hands on the Hylian’s warmer ones in order to stop him from saying anything. “It shouldn’t matter who we once were, Link. I am here now, with you. And all I can do is ask you to respect my privacy. I have my reasons for it and I know it’s shady and suspicious but I need you to trust _me._ Not who I used to be. I am Ravio, an aspiring merchant and I have joined you on your quest. Isn’t that enough?” 

They stayed like that for another second or two until Link gently pulled his hands away. Ravio mourned the loss of the warmth but his breath caught in his throat when that warm hand returned, now resting on his cheek. The Lolian’s heart began to beat faster and faster, and even though he knew that he was still wearing the disguise Ravio had never felt this exposed in his life. It was as if Link could see through everything and actually see _him_ and he whimpered when that hand moved to touch his mask. He wanted to tell Link to back off, wanted to beg him not to do it, but no sound left him. Ravio watched with unadulterated fear as those rough and scarred fingers traced the painted eyes Hilda had once drawn for him. 

Was that it? Had Ravio failed a quest as simple as hiding his identity? 

As if to sense his distress, Link cocked his head and pulled his fingers away. He smiled softly and Ravio felt overwhelmed by the kindness and warmth he didn’t deserve. Link was brave, he was a true hero who got up again even when he had failed before. But Ravio? He was a simple coward who couldn’t watch his own mouth. 

_“Merchant.”_ Link signed slowly and placed a hand on the Lolian’s chest.

_“Adventurer.”_ He moved the hand to his own chest. 

_“Nothing more, nothing less.”_

Ravio couldn’t help the small smile as a relieved tear ran down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away and nodded. 

“Nothing more, nothing less.” he repeated. 

* * *

As it turned out, the two travelling heroes weren’t the ones to find the Zoras. 

The Zoras found them. 

Or, at least, a red one had. Tall, good looking (for a fish), incredibly polite and energetic enough for a whole village. 

To say that he was jealous would probably be an understatement. Ravio was freaking _pissed._ Why did he have to deal with a Zora queen who was ready to throw hands the moment her precious gem was misplaced while Link got a likeable goldfish to look after. 

Lolia truly hated him. 

The fact that this Zora was more than willing to speak their common language was just the last nail in the coffin. Back in Lorule, the fallout between Zoras and Lolians had happened centuries ago and even to this day the fish people still refused to speak the wilder spread language of the Loruleans. Ravio had spent years perfecting the language of the Zoras simply to appeal to the masses whenever he had accompanied Hilda to their domain. It had proven to be a success and even though Ravio had become the Zora’s favourite Lolian, he had felt more like a pet than a political equal. 

The two travellers had been crossing one of the many smaller bridges when a voice from a little tower had caught their attention. The Zora had jumped off from the top, giving Ravio a small heart attack and if the merchant had hidden himself behind Link out of instinct, well then that wouldn’t be worth mentioning. Ravio had peeked over his friend’s shoulder to the shark man and when he had asked them about being Hylians, he had almost snorted. Almost. 

“We certainly are, my dear wealthy looking individual!” Ravio smoothly ignored the elbow that gently nudged his side as he pushed himself in front of Link. Whatever the fish boy wanted, diplomacy was his sword to wield. 

“Aha! Hylians! Yes, I knew it!” The Zora looked positively excited before he cleared his throat quickly. “Oh, pardon me… I am Sidon, the Zora prince!”

Ravio’s ears twitched and a sly smile appeared on his lips. The prince, of all people? He seemed like a truly likeable and well off ally who surely wouldn’t mind helping two friends out. 

“It is a _pleasure_ to meet you, Your Highness.” Did Ravio bow lower than necessary? You bet he did. Did he push Link’s head down as well? For good measure, yes. 

“My name is Ravio and my friend here is called Link. We have come a long way, have fought dozens of monsters and travelled across all of Hyrule to finally reach the oasis known as the Zora Domain.” 

Link, of course, wasn’t buying it but the merchant was quick to take a warmer hand into his own. If they were holding hands the Hylian couldn’t sign. And no signs meant no calling out. Besides, judging by the gleaming eyes of Sidon at least the Zora seemed to believe his story. 

“I see! That makes you two no ordinary people. You must be strong warriors among the Hylians, is that correct?!” 

“You are quite lucky, Your Highness, because Link here is the toughest fighter you could be asking for! Just yesterday he fought a Hinox and won without breaking a sweat! A whole Hinox I say!” Ravio emphasized his point by throwing his hands, and by extension Link’s, into the air, trying to imitate the sheer size of the monster his companion had slain. 

And good hearted, kind Sidon believed his every word. 

“Just as I suspected! I have an eye for talent that is unparalleled! You two have no clue how long I have been searching for somebody with such immense strength and power! Right now, my dear home is in grave danger because of the immense rainfall caused by the Divine Beast Vah Ruta! Please, we need your help, warriors!” 

The two travellers exchanged a quick glance and nodded. After all, the prince was asking them for something they had planned on anyways. 

“Of course we will help.” Ravio said and all jokes left his voice. He sounded a lot more confident than he actually felt but a small squeeze of his hand reassured him of his role. 

Right, heroes were supposed to help people in need. This was the reason he had been sent here. 

“Thank you so much, Ravio! Link! Now my home will be saved for certain! Let us not waste any more time! Please hurry up and head over!” Sidon gestured towards the path they were standing on and began to draw it over the mountains surrounding them. “Simply follow this path and you will reach Zora’s Domain! But please be careful, there will be monsters up ahead who will attack you the moment you are spotted!” 

The Zora prince lifted his arm and grinned at the two, teeth shining. “I believe in you two!” he said before he jumped back into the water, disappearing into the stormy waves. Ravio simply stood there for a moment or two as he tried to unpack everything that had just happened. 

Yeah, Link definitely had the better Zoras in his kingdom. 

The Lolian hadn’t noticed the hand slipping out of his own but what he definitely noticed was the light slap against his head. He cried out in surprise and duck his head, rubbing the spot that had been cruelly attacked by the Hylian who glared at him.

“What was that for?” 

_“I fought a Hinox without breaking a sweat?”_ Link signed and Ravio could imagine the angry tone his friend would have used if he could speak. He simply held his hands up in open surrender. 

“You saw how excited he was to see us, Mr. Hero! What he needs is hope and not the truth! Besides, you did say you fought a Hinox before so I technically didn’t even lie! I was simply mixing the dates up!” 

Link was still sending him a death glare but eventually sighed in defeat, his shoulders dropping. Neither of them wanted to fight and Ravio squeezed his friend’s arm. “It will be okay, Link. For now let’s just follow him and see what they have to say. Don’t tell me an adventurer like you is scared of a divine goldfish?” 

His side was nudged playfully and Ravio grinned brightly at his friend, relieved to know that the other wasn’t actually angry at him. They readjusted their bags and finally followed the yellow path that would hopefully lead them to their destination.

It was quiet for a few minutes before Link began to sign.

_“...Did you just try to sell me to a Zora?”_

Ravio bursted into laughter, almost tripping over his own feet if it wasn’t for Link steadying him. He snorted loudly and shrugged his shoulders, feigning innocence.

“But Mr. Hero! How could you think for even a minute that I would simply give my most important possession away!” 

He turned to look at Link and reached out to rest his hand on the Hylian’s cheek, leaning a bit closer as if he were to say something only the two of them were meant to hear. 

“I tried to _rent_ you.” 

Dodging the incoming punch, Ravio laughed loudly as he began to run away from the fuming adventurer. 

Maybe he could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is: the reason for the fic's name. The original name for the story was "Heartbeat of the world" as a reference to something ALBW Ravio says in the game but after writing 2/3 of the story I decided to change the name to this phrase. It's just more meaningful to the boys, especially in later chapters.
> 
> This Zora arc is going to stick closer to the botw game but I still tried to make it a bit more interesting with Ravio's pov. Once the first divine beast is done it's back to more original content within the botw world.
> 
> Also Ravio with his big brain here: "if i platonically hold hands with Link he can't speak up" What a genius.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	11. Fish, chips and troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link arrive in the Domain of the Zoras but not everyone welcomes them with open arms.

The Zora Domain was breathtaking. Ravio didn’t know how else to describe it, he had never seen such an elegant and marvelous place before. It almost felt like a sin to enter such a delicate realm but Link didn’t seem stunned by their surroundings and so the merchant hurried after him. He held onto the back of Link’s tunic and simply let himself get dragged over several bridges. Luckily the Hylian didn’t seem to mind his sudden nervousness. 

Approaching what was most likely the central spot of the Domain, Ravio noticed the glances and whispers around them. Every Zora they passed would stare at them and the Lolian suddenly felt self conscious. No matter how nice the prince had been, old habits died hard and the merchant wasn’t keen on being surrounded by so many creatures that could drown him easily if they decided they didn’t like him. 

They arrived at what seemed to be the throne room. Large stairs had led them up to an open room and Ravio’s eyes widened when he saw how _large_ the Zora in the center of it all was. Goddess, he had thought that this Sidon guy had been tall but the king was a class for himself. The feeling of being small and vulnerable wasn’t anything new for the Lolian but this encounter was certainly beating everything that he had experienced so far. He whimpered quietly and was startled when Link moved ever so slightly in front of him. It was barely noticeable, to anyone else it would have looked like they were still standing side by side, but Ravio had noticed the tiny step the Hylian had taken, placing himself between the Zoras and the Lolian. 

Ravio listened closely to the conversation but didn’t dare to speak up. While he had had his fair share of experience when it had come to royalty he felt rather out of place in this instance. King Dorephan, as he had introduced himself, seemed to have a past with Link, and even though the Hylian didn’t seem to remember anything, it still remained a personal conversation. 

The way the king was talking about his daughter made it clear that there was some history regarding Link, and Ravio was reminded that this wasn’t his home. Link here was the one intertwined with everyone’s destiny, Link was the bright light that the Hyruleans looked up to. 

Ravio was a simple shadow following his Hylian counterpart everywhere he went. Ravio wasn’t part of this world, wasn’t part of its history.

He didn’t belong. 

His attention finally returned to the ongoing conversation when a new voice chimed in. It belonged to an elderly looking Zora, head resembling a manta ray. Dirty looks were sent their way and Ravio blinked in confusion at the open display of hatred. What was this dude’s problem?

“King Dorephan! My liege, please do not speak so! To ask a Hylian for help, why, the very thought of such an absurdity curls my fins!”

“Muzu! How dare you speak to father and his guests like that?! These Hylians have come in our dire hour of need, they are the key to saving Zora’s Domain!” The prince exclaimed loudly, seemingly just as unpleased with the guy’s foul mouth as the rest of them. 

But Muzu only shook his head, hands clenched into fists. Ravio hadn’t experienced that much venom towards himself since his first and last encounter with the traitor Yuga. Was that Zora truly that blinded by fury that he couldn’t see Link’s willingness to help? 

“Have you forgotten already, my king?!” The elderly fish continued. “We cannot trust these lowly Hylians! A hundred years ago, _they_ abused the power of that ancient civilization and turned our beloved Hyrule into what it is today! And that’s not it!” Muzu averted his gaze, all fight leaving his body as a sorrowful expression replaced the anger. 

“It is their fault that Lady Mipha was lost to us…”

Silence haunted the throne room as the heavy accusation hung lowly around them all. No one dared to challenge that dark thought and Ravio realized with a start that the king and prince must have shared that conviction up to a point. Wide green stared from one royal member to another but his suspicions were only confirmed. Even if it was just a small voice in their heads, they believed that Link and the other Hylians were responsible for their princess’s death. 

The conversation was finally picked up and the king informed Link about the Divine Beast and its history. Apparently the use of shock arrows were the key to short circuit it for a long enough period of time in order to climb inside but Ravio wasn’t really listening enough to care. His attention was focused solely on the elderly Zora and a foreign anger began to coil around his insides. He wasn’t quite sure as to where that emotion had come from, seeing as how that accusation hadn’t been directed at him or his people, but it bothered him all the same. Clenching his hands into fists, Ravio let the meaningless words wash over him. Link was given some special Zora Armor and that Muzu guy once again complained about their simple existence as Hylians. 

Sidon led them out of the throne room and back to the center point of the Domain, pulling their attention to a statue that depicted a female Zora with her spear pointed downwards. Ravio had to admit that the girl looked kind and it was scary to think that such a young light had been killed way before her time had come. From what Sidon had told them Mipha had been a brave and gentle soul and when he looked at the statue he could see all that. This champion also seemed to have cared deeply for Link and Ravio felt a small pang of jealousy bloom within the depths of his chest. He knew that it was absurd but the Lolian couldn’t help but think about how Link would be better off with his old friends by his side. If somebody like the Zora princess died in the presence of Calamity Ganon then how was he, a simple advisor, supposed to do anything of worth? There was no way Ravio could ever hope to achieve the level of support Link had gotten in his past. 

No one had ever been interested in Ravio. He had never thought much of it because to him, it had made sense. The Lolian had spent more time around books than other living beings, and growing up inside the castle had meant that he had only ever been around adults and guards. Hilda had been one of the few kids around his age but she had always been more of a sister figure. She had looked out for him, had defended him from bullies and Cuccos alike. They had been the same age and yet she had always felt more mature. Ravio had never dedicated the aspect of romance more than a fleeting thought but seeing just how much the Zora princess had cared about Link finally forced him to realize yet another difference between himself and his hylian counterpart. Link had been deeply loved before the attack. Be it in a platonic or romantic way, Link used to have friends in different realms and villages. Those champions had been with him, he had travelled far and wide with his princess. The Hylian had come so far because of the support of his friends, he had the strength to push himself to his limits because he had people to fight for. Even if he didn’t remember them, his heart must have felt the connection. 

“Link? Are you alright?” Sidon’s voice pulled Ravio out of his racing thoughts and he looked towards his counterpart who was staring at the statue with wide eyes, unmoving. Ravio furrowed his brows and looked over to the prince before resting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. 

“Mr. Hero?” It was barely a whisper but suddenly Link’s head snapped towards him, blue unseeing and confused. Ravio licked his lips and pushed just a bit further. “Link, it’s me, Ravio.” Those brilliant eyes blinked a few times and finally he was being looked at with a hint of recognition. It had been the first time that the other had spaced out like that and Ravio couldn’t help but be worried. However, his concern was brushed aside and Link simply smiled at him before looking at Sidon. 

_“I’m ready. Please show me the way to the arrows.”_

“Right away!” Sidon began to walk away but halted in his step, turning to look at Ravio. 

“Will you be accompanying us as well?” 

Biting his lip, the Lolian looked from Sidon to Link. “Mr. Hero…?” He wondered loudly and felt his heart squeeze uncomfortably when his companion shook his head. _“It’s stealth, a simple grab and run quest. Wait for me.”_

Well, that settled it. With a heavy feeling the merchant watched the other leave alongside the prince and after a moment he was left alone. 

Hearing a quiet chirp, Ravio smiled softly and picked the bird up from his hiding spot. “Come on, Sheerow, let’s look for food.”

* * *

The Zora Domain was bigger than he had expected. It was wide open and there were stairs and bridges everywhere, leading to paths hidden behind the gorgeous architecture. 

Ravio was lazily leaning over a bridge to the west of the throne room, his eyes staring unfocused into the distance. He had already eaten some fish but the appetite just hadn’t been there without Link by his side. It had been quite a while since the Hylian had set out on his quest and Ravio began to grow restless. He had a bad feeling and the rain falling down on him only added to his melancholic state.

Eventually he caught sight of a Zora he could have very well done without. Muzu, the elderly Zora, was walking up and down near a smaller waterfall to his side and Ravio considered just leaving. It would probably be the wiser decision to act as if he hadn’t seen anything but before he knew it, Ravio had already pushed himself off the bridge and sauntered over to the advisor. 

As expected Muzu looked just as grim as before, and the pacing spoke of either nervousness or anger. Ravio was tempted to lean towards the second option. The Zora stopped his momentum when he noticed his presence and the merchant came to a stop a few meters away. He wasn’t sure why exactly he had come over but Ravio knew that he naturally drifted towards danger, even when he usually tried his best to dodge any form of confrontation.

“You came all the way here, but it was in vain. I have no desire to speak with you.”

Off to a great start. Ravio gritted his teeth but stood his ground. The anger from before bubbled underneath the surface and he felt uncharacteristically confident. 

His left hand began to grow warm. 

“Funny, for somebody who is hiding in his own little city you speak rather big.” 

The Zora’s eyes widened and Ravio saw that hatred from before. “How dare you speak like that to me? I am the right hand of the king, I will not allow such disrespect! You are just a guest and should behave like one!” 

Clenching his hands into fists, Ravio had had enough. He was used to the rude behavior of Zoras but this was going too far. He took a step forward, forgetting his own fear. 

“Filthy Hylian pack.” The Zora spat and something snapped. 

“I’ve had enough of you. You act all high and mighty and yet you Zoras are the ones hiding from _your_ Divine Beast. If you don’t want the help from somebody who offers it then why don’t you go out there and fight the good fight? It’s always so easy to judge others while you sit around doing a damn yourself. You look at the flaws of everyone but yourself!” Stomping his foot, Ravio glared daggers at the Zora. He took yet another step and there was a small cheer of victory when Muzu backed off.

“Hylians this, Hylians that. You can’t blame somebody like Link for the failures of your princess. What happened was surely a tragedy but as long as he wasn’t the one who wielded the sword you have no right to blame him for that.” 

The venom was back in those old eyes and the Zora growled. “Of course a pathetic Hylian like you would stick up for that failu—” 

Ignoring the uncomfortable heat on his hand, Ravio acted without thinking. He reached up and pulled his hood back. His mask followed. Within seconds he stood fully exposed in front of the Zora and he watched with a somber satisfaction as the other shut up, his eyes wide.

“You…You look like...?”

“I’m neither hylian nor hyrulean.” Ravio spoke in the language of his Zoras, his voice rolling over each word with a practiced ease. “I am lolian and the most neutral party you could find in all of Hyrule. I was not there when Calamity Ganon took control nor were any of my ancestors. Me and my people have no stakes in this drama of yours so you would do well to listen to an outsider for the very first time in your life.” 

He took another step, ignoring the burning sensation eating away at his hand. 

“There is a lot I don’t know yet and even more I will never know. But what I have learned from my short stay is that you should be grateful to have a hero like Link. This _Hylian_ has devoted his life to the kingdom you are a part of. He had only scratched the age of adulthood when he had already fought on dozens of battlefields, protecting not only his own but every Hyrulean living here. This man, that you have insulted beyond belief, has died protecting his princess. He died for Hyrule, just like Mipha did.” He ignored the Zora’s flinch, needing to push out what he wanted to say while he still had the courage to do so.

“Link died. He was just as young as your princess and he died fighting the battle you adults should have fought. You sent children into an unbeatable war and then acted surprised when they fell? I don’t know what other Hylians might have done to you but Link is his own person. Just because you are an asshole I don’t accuse prince Sidon of being the same.” His hands began to shake and Ravio knew that he was tearing up. There was no mask to hide his emotions behind. 

“Link is the hero Hyrule doesn’t deserve if everyone thinks like you do. Yes, he failed and died. But he was given a second chance. And do you know what he is doing with his second chance? He is fighting. _Again_. If it had been anyone but Link they would have turned their back on Hyrule or would have looked for a hole to live in. But Link, who doesn’t even remember his past, returned to finish what he had started a century ago. He is a true hero and Hyrule should fall onto its knees and thank him for returning. The kid that died fighting your battle is back to finish what none of you even attempted to do in those long 100 years.” Taking a shaking breath, Ravio wiped his tears away. He couldn’t bear looking at the Zora anymore. 

“My home never had a hero like Link. Lorule isn’t as fortunate to have such a devoted hero fighting for its sake. Believe it or not but my kingdom was once worse than yours. It almost got destroyed not by some evil force but its own greed.” He looked up, his hands finally unclenched. Ravio felt tired and exhausted, his anger washed away with the ever ongoing rain. 

“Link is a kind soul. I can only imagine how much he cared about the other champions, and how much they looked out for him. I don’t think your princess would blame him for anything that has happened so why are you doing it? Your Hero of Hyrule has returned and what he needs is not malice but support. Because he is ready to die once again for his home. Would you be willing to do the same?” 

Putting his mask back on, Ravio hurriedly walked past the dumbfounded Zora. The merchant needed to put some distance between himself and the Domain, and that fast. He had just made it to a small river when he collapsed onto his knees. The back of his hand was burning like never before and the Lolian desperately tugged at his glove before pushing his arm into the cooling water. A small chirp came from his side and Ravio smiled weakly as Sheerow jumped onto his shoulder, nuzzling his face.

“I’m sorry, little guy. I hadn’t planned to just… explode.”

The Triforce was still burning angrily and he could see its glow even while his arm was underwater. He growled and glared at it, nausea spreading within his stomach.

“Listen here, you piece of lines. I don’t regret anything I said, okay? It was time somebody put him into place. Being an advisor is no excuse to act all high and mighty.” He took a deep breath and willed his racing heart to calm down. “I know it was not the wisest decision to reveal myself but I can’t just stand by and ignore it when that sort of injustice is happening right in front of me. We both know that Link is a true hero at heart and I won’t let anyone tell him otherwise. No one deserves to be put down for trying their best and no matter how often you will burn me, if given the chance I would do it again.”

All at once the burning heat disappeared and Ravio watched in disbelief as the glowing stopped from one second to another. He hesitantly pulled his hand out of the freezing water and to his surprise there was no reddening skin nor any hints that he had been burned in the first place. Sheerow chirped in confusion and the Lolian could do little but agree. Whatever he had said must have pleased the Triforce. 

A moment of silence.

“Holy— that water is _freezing_ cold! Shit, why didn’t you warn me, Sheerow?” Ravio already felt the needles crawling up his skin and he wrapped his exposed arm into his little cloak, trying to rub some warmth back into his numbing limb. Colorful words left him and it took the help of the fire rod for him to finally regain any sort of feeling in his arm. With a heavy sigh he looked up towards the setting sun. 

Link had been gone for hours now.

“You better be alright, buddy.” Ravio mumbled under his breath.

Walking back towards the Domain, the Lolian felt exhausted and lonely. He was just about to check into the inn when he caught sight of his friend, his heart sinking at the horrible image in front of him.

Their hero had returned but his body had been badly wounded.

“Link!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Click here for art of the tornado rod scene with Ravio and Link!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/621040928066584576/is-your-ravio-like-a-botw-equivalent-cuz-ive)  
> 
> 
> I apologize for the long paragraphs, I know it was a lot of information but the following chapters will be easier to read again!
> 
> And would you look at that, I bet no one expected Ravio to be able to stand up for Link like that. Too bad the hero wasn't around to see that little spark of confidence but it was a small victory for Ravio. 
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	12. Breathe for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio returns to the Domain only to find a beaten up and bloody Link. Needless to say he's freaking out.

_Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay._

Chanting the words like a prayer, Ravio ran over to his friend who was favoring his left side, a red hand resting on his stomach. Panic washed every sense of exhaustion away and the merchant quickly found himself by the side of the Hylian.

“Link, good Goddesses, what in Din's name happened?” 

Ravio wasn’t sure whether he wanted to hug or slap Link when the other had the audacity to sign a _“Hey”_ at him. He ignored the rolling of Link’s eyes as he removed the bloodied hand from the wound, trying to analyze the severity of the injury and the correct form of treatment. He whined when a warm hand pulled him away from his evaluation and soon he found himself eye to eye with his friend.

_“Breathe for me._ ” 

Ravio didn’t understand. Link was the one who had been hurt and he told _him_ to breathe? The merchant had no time to breathe, he needed to treat the damn wound! But those blue eyes kept him captive and Link breathed in, louder than necessary. Knowing that he wasn’t allowed to take a look at the injuries if he didn’t behave, Ravio took a breath alongside the other. For a minute the two friends simply breathed together and Ravio had to admit that he already felt calmer. He took the Hylian’s hand into his own and pulled him away from the staring Zoras and into a more seclusive room. 

“Sit down.” Ravio instructed as he pulled out a few of his potions and bandages from the bag. Several Zoras came to check up on them but every time Ravio waved them away. He would treat the wounds himself, that way he would know for sure that Link would be alright. 

It took some struggle but the two travellers managed to get Link out of the Zora Armor and Ravio threw it out of the way. He ran a featherlight finger over his friend’s chest and inspected the nasty cut on the man’s side. Link had only been graced by a weapon but it was apparent that a few more inches could have been fatal. Based on the bruises on his chest Ravio could only guess that several ribs were broken. Painful injuries but nothing he couldn’t heal. 

“That cut will need some stitches. I will first disinfect the wound and then stitch it up. I’ve got a few red potions on me which should deal with your smaller bruises and ribs.” He kneeled down in front of Link and began his work, a sympathetic hum leaving him when Link hissed at the stinging alcohol on his wound. 

“Now tell me what happened.”

_“Turned out that creature on the hill was a Lynel.”_

Ravio felt a shudder run down his spine. He had never fought a Lynel himself but Hilda had almost died once protecting the two of them from one’s attack.

“Did it spot you when you were collecting the arrows?”

He prepared the needle when the wound was cleaned adequately. Usually Ravio would tell his patient to bite down on a belt or some leather but Link seemed tough enough to take the pain.

_“No. I found enough arrows without it seeing me.”_

Furrowing his brows, Ravio began to stitch the wound back together. He couldn’t quite follow. 

“Then why were you hurt?”

Link hesitated. A quiet minute passed in which Ravio stitched him up and he swallowed down the nervousness. A horrible idea began to form in his mind but the merchant tried to push it away. There was no way his friend would be that stupid.

_“I couldn’t just leave.”_

Of course he was that stupid.

It took every cell in Ravio’s body to remain calm as he put the Hylian back together. He waited with his next questions until he was done with the stitches because Lolia knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his hand from trembling otherwise. The remaining thread was cut with his dagger and Ravio quietly checked his handiwork. He moved his weight back onto his feet and finally looked up to meet the other’s gaze. 

“You fought the Lynel even though you didn’t have to.”

Link hesitantly nodded. 

_“Sidon had said how dangerous those arrows were for Zoras. One arrow is enough to kill. I couldn’t just leave knowing the Lynel was still alive and armed.”_

Ravio wanted to be angry. He wanted to scold Link, wanted to tell him how incredibly stupid he was. But those blue eyes held no regrets. No matter how much he would complain, if given the chance Link would do it again.

After all, he was the Hero of Hyrule and couldn’t just walk away from potential danger. It was in his nature to help.

When the former exhaustion caught up to him the merchant leaned his head against Link’s leg with a heavy sigh.

“You know I will scold you for your impulsive action, right?” Ravio mumbled as he buried his face into the wet material of the pants. A warm hand sneaked underneath his hood but Link made no attempt to remove it. Instead, the Hylian ran his fingers through Ravio’s hair and massaged the scalp. Some tension managed to leave his body and the merchant sighed, leaning into the touch. He had already noticed how important body language was to Link and seeing as how his friend spoke with his hands rather than his mouth, it had only made sense. The Hylian paid great attention to gestures and he used his hands to express his thoughts. There was only so much you could say with signs anyways and sometimes actions spoke louder than a thousand words. Ravio didn’t mind it. With Hilda having the status of a princess they hadn’t gotten many chances to hug or stand close together. It was only with Link that Ravio had realized just how much he needed the contact from time to time.

“I’m not mad, Link… I am just worried. You need to take better care of yourself, okay? I was concerned when you didn’t come back.” He took a deep breath and hid his face some more. “If you plan on doing something reckless please just… take me with you. I don’t want to be useless, I want to be by your side.” 

The hand in his hair stilled its movement and Ravio tried to look up to see what was wrong when his face was gently pushed back into its former position. He could hear Link taking a trembling breath but the fingers moved once again and he figured that whatever was going on inside his friend were emotions he wasn’t supposed to see. And as somebody who hid his whole identity he could only respect the unsaid wish. Green eyes fell close and Ravio allowed himself to relax. Sure, they were both soaking wet, Link still needed to drink the potions, and Ravio was sitting uncomfortably on the ground, but neither of them seemed to mind much.

“You know, if you hadn’t played hero and already killed that Lynel I’m sure we could have gotten some kind of deal out of the Zoras. I can’t believe your selflessness robbed me off my payment.” 

A snort could be heard as the fingers lightly tugged at his hair. Ravio smiled to himself as he relaxed into the warmth his friend provided.

“I’m just saying.”

* * *

Standing at the big dam, Ravio wondered whether Lolia and Hylia had lost their minds. There was no way any of them could deal with that oversized elephant that threatened to drown all of Hyrule with its rain. Where did all that water come from anyways? Since their arrival it had been raining non-stop and if this had truly been going on for a long time how was there even just a single drop left to throw into the air? 

He shuffled just a little bit closer to Link who in return leaned over until their arms touched. Neither had said anything about their little cuddle session the evening prior but the merchant had been content with it. After all he had the best teacher when it came to expressing oneself without any words.

Ravio watched in silence as Sidon and Link jumped into the water. Right then and there he felt completely useless but there was only so much he could do. It just wasn’t his time to help though it left a bitter taste nonetheless. He had expected the two warriors to simply leave but Link turned to look at him, blue showing nothing but determination. 

It strangely calmed him. 

“I will cheer you on, Mr. Hero.” The Lolian said with a soft voice. He gave his friend a big smile and waved them off as the two fighters finally left to calm the Divine beast down. 

The next few minutes were probably some of the most anxious ridden ones Ravio had ever experienced. He usually loved being sidelined when it came to fights but for the first time he hated just being able to watch. From his point of view it was difficult to see everything that was going on and the merchant couldn’t count all the moments where he had thought a brick of ice had finally hit the hero. He would yell for them to watch out even though he knew they were too far out, would reach for his fire rod instinctively whenever it looked like Link wouldn’t destroy the ice in time. 

And then there were the times Link would jump off Sidon’s back and seemingly fly through the air, his bow drawn and lined up. Time would stand still in those moments and Ravio would hold his breath until Link was back in the water, safe and sound. Eventually the machine came to a full stop and the two warriors would disappear behind the beast and out of Ravio’s line of sight.

“Do you think they are okay?” The merchant was fiddling around with his scarf as Sheerow peeked at him from his little hideout. The little bird nuzzled into his neck and Ravio smiled softly. “You’re right, that idiot survived a Lynel. He will be fine…”

Another minute passed and Ravio was relieved to see the prince swimming back over to where he stood. The moment the Zora was close enough he hurried over to the edge of the water, kneeling down to be closer.

“Is Link alright?” He didn’t care whether he sounded desperate or not, he needed an answer. 

“Your friend is truly remarkable, Ravio! Fear not, Link is well and he successfully entered the beast.” 

A weight was lifted from his heart and Ravio leaned back onto his hands. 

“In fact, Link has asked me to help you traverse the waters to Vah Ruta. If you agree to it, of course. He does not wish to force you into any uncomfortable situation you do not want to find yourself in, he put great emphasis on this.” 

Blinking slowly, the merchant looked at the Zora somewhat dumbfounded. He lifted a finger and pointed at himself, unsure whether he had heard right.

“Link wants me to accompany him? Inside the beast?”

Sidon sent him his signature smile and lifted his fist in a motivational gesture. “Of course! You are as much of a warrior as he is! He asked me to tell you this…” the Zora cleared his throat “‘It’s dangerous to go alone.’ Those were his exact words.”

Ravio couldn’t help but grin to himself. “That freaking idiot…” He looked down at his feathery friend. “Do you want to stay here, Sheerow? I don’t want you to get hurt.” But the chirp he got in return was nothing but determined. 

“Please take us to Link, Your Highness!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter changed drastically from what I had first planned. In fact, Ravio and Link were supposed to end up in a bigger argument in which Ravio would scold him loudly because of his worries and fears, and Link would end up signing something hurtful that would cause Ravio to leave the Domain. Link would go off to fight the Divine Beast himself and only after talking to Sidon Ravio would eventually join his friend. 
> 
> As you can see, this chapter isn't that at all. The remains of my original plans can be found in the small paragraph that starts with "Ravio wanted to be angry." But while writing the chapter I realized that having them fight after Ravio just stood up for his friend was a stupid decision and besides, these two idiots pretty much write themselves. Can't force them to argue if they would rather have soft moments, right? 
> 
> Anyways, we are almost done with the Zora Arc and I'm really looking forward to what comes after! 
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	13. The fight against Vah Ruta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio take on the Divine Beast Vah Ruta.

Walking up and down impatiently, Link looked towards the entrance one more time before sighing in defeat. He couldn’t ignore the slight disappointment he was feeling at the prospect of being alone but the Hylian couldn’t hold it against Ravio. His friend was already pushing himself so much to just travel with him to these dangerous locations and Link couldn’t expect him to willingly enter what had come to be known as a death machine. Link licked his lips and tugged some loose hair behind his ear as he finally went to retrieve the map from the terminal, just as Mipha had instructed him to do.

He took a minute to study the blueprints when a yelp and a following curse interrupted his concentration. Link felt any hints of tension fall off of him and he spun around to be greeted by the sight of a drenched and unhappy looking merchant. Ravio was mumbling something under his breath as he wrung out his sleeves in a futile attempt of getting dry.

The moment their gazes met Ravio seemed to forget about his annoyance and he sent Link one of his toothy grins, revealing the endearing tooth gap. “I heard somebody asked for my services? I’ll have you know that it won’t be cheap, I have a tightly set schedule and had to squeeze you in between.”

Link simply rolled his eyes but quickly crossed the distance in order to take Ravio’s hand into his own, his smile rivaling the one on his friend’s face. The merchant looked a bit surprised but the Hylian couldn’t stop himself. Something about Ravio’s presence helped calming him down and he was incredibly thankful for that. Whatever darker thoughts might have tried to sneak up on him in the loneliness of the beast were all forgotten now that his companion was here. 

Link wasn’t the failed Hero of Hyrule anymore, the one to blame for the deaths of his friends and countless of Hyruleans. 

Right now he was simply an adventurer.

_“I’m sure winning over the eternal gratefulness of the royal family should be payment enough for your services, Mr. Merchant.”_

Ravio touched his chin and hummed lowly though his suppressed smile gave him away easily. “Alright, fine. I will help but only because you are my favorite customer.” 

_“And your only one, if anything.”_ Link added with a raised brow.

“Details, details. Now then, Mr. Hero, what is our situation?”

Link explained in a handful of short sentences just what he had figured out so far. The activation of the different terminals, the disgusting looking eyes woven into malice and some freely flying skulls. He handed over his Sheikah Slate to Ravio without being urged to do so and the merchant took it without looking up, scanning the map before analyzing their surroundings as well. So far Link had already managed to activate one terminal and he pointed over to a big empty room, filled with nothing but water and technology he couldn’t yet activate.

“That would probably be the central unit, I bet all those other terminals are connected to it. We will have to deactivate the different organs of the beast and then knock it all out completely.” Ravio was mumbling underneath his breath and Link decided to let him do his thing. They both didn’t know a lot about the ancient Sheikah technology but the Hylian had a feeling that his friend was more likely to figure out the smaller puzzles and questions within this place. 

And he had been correct. Ravio had begun to easily instruct him throughout the Divine Beast without so much as missing a beat. There were a few smaller puzzles Link figured out by himself but the merchant had been quick to tell him where to use his cryo or stasis rune. They worked together easily enough as if they had been travelling together for years, instead of the actual handful of days. Link didn’t mind Ravio taking control of the situation. It was an interesting situation to be in and the adventurer would be lying if he wasn’t curious about his friend. Ravio held himself with a confidence that was usually lacking and when he spoke his voice was low and demanding. He expected Link to swiftly follow whatever idea he would come up with and Link found himself going along with it. Seeing Ravio this sure about himself was a sight to behold and the Hylian would smile to himself. 

The merchant could say about himself what he wanted but Link knew the truth. Ravio wasn’t a coward, he was simply blind to his own strengths. 

Eventually the two friends became a little stuck. There was a terminal within a watermill but they had no clue how to righten it and get the gate to open. 

“Could I take another look at the slate?” Ravio asked as they were standing in front of their newest problem and Link handed the device back over. He watched as his friend began to lightly pout, probably annoyed by their inability to continue. Silent moments passed until a sudden rumbling sound scared the shit out of Link and wide blue looked around to see the source of the loud noise.

“I knew it!” Ravio exclaimed loudly and Link furrowed his brows. He came up behind the merchant and rested his chin on the other’s shoulder, wanting to see what he was doing with the slate. Ravio didn’t seem to mind, instead he even reached behind himself to run a hand through Link’s messy hair as his attention remained focused on the device. Link leaned into the touch. It felt nice.

“Look, Mr. Hero! If we move these arrows here we can actually change the location of the trunk!” As if to prove his point, Ravio touched something on the slate and the loud rumbling sound returned before water rained down from a small opening in the ceiling, causing the watermill to start moving. 

Link wrapped his arms around Ravio's chest so he could sign in front of them. _“I didn’t notice those markings before. Nice one, bunny.”_ When his companion laughed Link was being shaken alongside the other’s body, a genuine smile on his lips. Ravio nudged his head with his own, seemingly content with the nickname.

“Come on, Mr. Hero. This one is about timing and I’m surely not gonna jump into that moving wheel. You have the honor of activating the terminal.”

Together, the duo eventually reached the last of the terminals and Ravio cheered when they had officially deactivated them all. They made their way back to the entrance and there was only one thing left for them to do. Ravio returned the slate to him and Link entered the wide room, lightly kicking up some water as he crossed the distance to the other side.

“Give me a second, Mr. Hero!” Ravio yelled from the main hall as he kneeled down on the ground, rummaging through his bag. He was searching for something but Link didn’t pay him any attention. He was impatient and wanted to get this over with so they could return to the Domain and get something hot to eat. The water and cold air did nothing to keep them warm. With a click of his tongue Link placed his slate onto the central unit, fully expecting to end the job right there.

The scream of a creature told him otherwise.

Spinning on his heels, Link narrowed his eyes and immediately drew his sword. The loud sound of something heavy hitting the ground caught his attention and a cold shiver ran over his back when he saw that the former entrance had now been cut off by iron bars.

“Link!” Ravio’s voice echoed loudly through the room and without thinking the Hylian ran over to his friend who was holding onto the metal bars. The merchant was pulling and pushing but nothing would budge. Fear began to creep up within him and Link wrapped his hands around Ravio’s on the bars, blue full of tension and worry. He couldn’t see his friend’s eyes but he _knew_ that the merchant was just as scared.

The scream from before was back and Link didn’t need to hear Ravio’s warning to know that something had appeared behind him. He turned around and quietly growled at the disformed figure of a creature whose body was emitting the malice he had come to recognize as Calamity Ganon’s. Sending his companion a quick glance over his shoulder, Link nodded and began to run towards one of the stone platforms in the room, away from the bars that kept them separated. If Link had learned one thing from his adventure it was that he couldn’t risk to endanger anyone else. 

Pulling out his new bow, Link lined up one of his remaining shock arrows and didn’t waste a second before shooting the thing straight in the face. The Waterblight fell into the water and the Hylian was quick to sprint over, slashing it several times with his sword before it began to regain control. He watched as it disappeared in a blue light and suddenly Link was alone in the room, bow at his side. His heart was hammering loudly and blue searched for the monster hidden in the dark.

“Behind!”

Of course, where else would it attack from? Link easily spun on his heel and jumped to the side as the creature’s massive spear barely missed him, causing the water around them to ripple. Sure, it looked like its attacks were packing a punch but it was rather slow and so far Link felt confident in his agility and speed. 

They repeated their little dance over and over, following the same rhythm each time. Link would dodge an attack and shoot a shock arrow, would attack the malicious creation with his sword before backing off again. It seemed that eventually the Blight had had enough and it turned onto its head, floating into the air as the water level around them rose. 

_Phase 2._

Link swam over to a stone plateau that was closer to the locked door and quickly pulled himself up just as the monster materialized itself on the far opposite. The hylian entered a fighting stance and tightened his hold on his bow, trusting Ravio to keep an eye on his back at all times. It was an odd but comforting thought that even though the merchant wasn’t by his side, he was still close enough for Link to feel at ease. The yelled advices such as “Dodge!” or “Watch out!” did little for the Hylian seeing as how he moved purely on instinct and muscle memory, but they helped keep him grounded. 

He wasn’t fighting alone. And that was all that mattered to him. 

The Blight’s hand began to glow in a sickening blue hue and before Link realized what was happening, it had already summoned three cubes of ice. His eyes widened when they were thrown into his direction all at once and he let go of his bow, struggling to grab his Sheikah Slate and activate the rune in time. He barely managed to destroy the first two when the third cube came dangerously close but before Link could even begin to panic a radiating heat shot past him, melting the ice just moments before it could have hit him straight on.

His heart beat loudly against his chest as Link took a shaking breath, relief and adrenaline flooding his body. He didn’t turn around. There was no need to. Ravio had once again saved him from a nasty hit and even though Link knew that it would take more than some ice to the face to knock him out, he appreciated the help nonetheless.

“Come on, Mr. Hero! Stop standing around and letting me do all the work! Kick its butt already!”

Link shook his head to clear his mind and he picked the bow back up, once again resuming their little game of dodging and attacking. He stayed on the two platforms closest to the exit for the remaining fight, trusting Ravio to take care of whatever ice he couldn’t destroy in time. It was a thrilling experience to deliberately ignore an approaching danger but the fire around him took care of anything that threatened to harm him. It quickly became a familiar warmth, a strong contrast to the cold water surrounding him but Link pushed on and on until _finally_ the Waterblight fell for its last time, an agonizing scream leaving its dissolving lungs as it disappeared into nothingness. Link wiped the sweat off his forehead and let his shoulders hang low.

He had done it. 

A body collided with his back and Link fell forward into the low water, barely catching himself before he could be drowned by the excited weight pushing down on him. He was quick to turn onto his back and the Hylian was thankful that the water barely reached his ears. Ravio was grinning down at him and Link noticed the red rod in his hand.

_“Is this going to become a habit of yours?”_ he signed, his smile giving his happiness away. The merchant simply crossed his arms on Link’s chest and rested his head on top of them, a toothy grin decorating his face. With how close they were, the Hylian could spot a few freckles barely peeking out from underneath the mask and he wondered just what kind of color Ravio’s eyes were. 

“Maybe. I do have to admit you are rather comfortable to lie on, Mr. Hero. Must be those fancy soft clothes you’ve gotten your hands on. Whoever gave them to you surely has an eye for details.”

Link rolled his eyes but he wiggled underneath his friend’s weight until he was resting more comfortably. His hands were laying on Ravio’s back and he drew lazy circles into the material. A few moments of silence passed and he listened to their calming breaths until the merchant spoke up once again.

“I’m sorry, Link.” 

At that the Hylian lifted his head to stare at the other, his brows furrowed in confusion. He didn’t need to sign his question, Ravio understood him anyway.

“I shouldn’t have looked for that stupid tornado rod of mine. I should have followed you right away instead of leaving you to fight for yourself. I just… I was already thinking about getting out of here when the real boss hadn’t shown up yet and I should have known better but I wasn’t paying attention.” Ravio sighed in defeat and buried his head in Link’s chest, avoiding any eye contact. “I’m a horrible backup.”

Link hated seeing his friend like this. They had just freed one of the four Divine Beasts, they should be celebrating instead of beating themselves up over something that no one could have expected. He clicked his tongue two times until the merchant hesitantly looked up at him and Link reached for those familiar cheeks, pulling Ravio closer until their foreheads touched. He hated listening to his friend talking himself down, Ravio was a hero in his own way and Link wished he could make him understand that. 

He pulled away slightly and removed his hands so he could sign. _"_ _You had my back. We both defeated it and we both saved Zora’s Domain. This was our shared doing.”_ Link nudged Ravio’s head with his own. _“Nothing more, nothing less.”_

The merchant finally pushed himself off of Link and he almost mourned the loss of the comforting weight when Ravio offered his hand to help him up. Link took it with a small smile and he was pulled onto his feet, not yet letting go as their fingers intertwined. Ravio looked over to the remaining terminal before cocking his head, seemingly staring at Link. His voice was soft when he spoke up.

“Nothing more, nothing less.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for checking in, I still suck at writing action scenes but what else is new?
> 
> We are pretty much done with the Zora Arc and I'm really looking forward to the next chapter. The idea of the following chapter is what inspired this whole entire fic and I can tell you that after tomorrow things are going to change.
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	14. A life changing call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After successfully freeing Vah Ruta, the two friends say their goodbyes to the Zoras. However, something is clearly wrong with Ravio and they follow a life changing call.

Prince Sidon was eagerly awaiting them when the friends made their way back to the dam. The trio watched in silence as the Divine Beast suddenly came to life and Ravio hid behind Link, much to the amusement of the Hylian. Vah Ruta moved up a nearby mountain and once it was in position, a red beam bursted out of its mouth and into the direction of the castle. The sky cleared up and Link had to shield his eyes from the radiating sun as the light hit the Zora Domain for the first time in many years. 

The way down to the throne room was mostly filled with Sidon’s and Ravio’s excited conversation. The merchant weaved their previous actions into a heroic tale and the Zora listened, only interrupting the story to add his own compliments and fascinations. Link kept mostly quiet and simply nodded along whenever somebody asked him a question or two. However, the Hylian never felt out of place. It was odd, sure, to be placed between two rambling waterfalls but the cold hand in his own never let him feel like he didn’t belong. The little gesture kept him grounded and Link allowed his friend to move their hands excitedly whenever Ravio tried to reenact a move the Hylian had apparently pulled off. 

Cheers and yells welcomed the heroes the moment they reentered the Domain and several Zoras walked up to them to pat their backs or thank them deeply. Link felt a bit uncomfortable with all the sudden attention and he kept his head low, trying to avoid as much eye contact as possible. Sidon led them straight to the throne room and once they had arrived, Link found himself staring at the king over Ravio’s shoulder. He smiled softly at the realization that they had switched places.

This time Ravio was shielding him from the attention.

The king expressed his thanks though most of it washed over Link’s head. He was exhausted, tired, and hungry. All he wanted was a nice hot meal and then sleep for the rest of the day. 

Ravio seemed to notice his state of mind because he pulled most of the attention towards himself. He was a good speaker, knew what to say in order to win the favor of the audience. Link couldn’t help but feel a little bit jealous. The word awkward would describe his relationship with crowds the best and he hated the attention he was receiving simply because he had once been somebody people had looked up to. Impa, the hylian king and even the Zoras spoke to him with a familiarity he couldn’t return and it left nothing but a bitter taste in his mouth. Everyone had expectations for him, waited for him to just wake up one morning and remember everything. But what little Link remembered? It felt a million years away. He didn’t see himself in those memories but a stranger with his face. 

The Link that everyone had once known was gone. And no matter how many stories they would tell him, the person they remembered wouldn’t come back. Not fully. 

His hand was lightly squeezed and Link looked over to Ravio before he noticed that everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to do something. He furrowed his brows when the merchant leaned closer, whispering into his ear.

“The king wants you to open the chest. It’s a gift.”

Link opened his mouth in a small ‘o’ and reluctantly let go as he quickly crossed the distance, ignoring the eyes on his back. He opened the chest and pulled out a beautifully crafted trident that seemed somehow familiar. Furrowing his brows, Link looked up towards the king for an explanation.

“This weapon once belonged to my daughter. I am sure she would want you to have it.” The king smiled kindly if sadly. “I hope it will be helpful on your remaining mission.” 

Link wasn’t quite sure what to say so he bowed down, clutching the trident to his chest. There was a throbbing pain deep within his chest and the Hylian took a shaking breath, not knowing what was causing it. The king couldn’t have dismissed them soon enough and Link found himself being led away by his friend. 

“Are you alright?” Ravio mumbled as he placed a cold hand on the Hylian’s neck. It was a nice contrast to his racing heart and Link hesitated before shrugging his shoulders. “How about I take us back to our rooms? I could look for some food as well because I don’t know about you but I could eat a whole Octorok right now. Using that fire rod left me a little drained so I can’t imagine how tired you gotta be.”

The two of them were just about to leave the central place when somebody walked up to them, their face carefully expressionless. Link felt a shiver run down his spine because out of all the Zoras that could have approached them, Muzu was certainly the one he wanted to talk to the least. He straightened his back and allowed the trident to disappear into his Sheikah Slate before he turned his full attention towards the elderly advisor. He and Ravio would leave soon anyways so whatever the Zora had to say shouldn’t matter. To Link’s surprise, however, Ravio clearly moved to stand between the two of them and confused blue looked towards the boy standing in front of him. The merchant had never been _that_ protective. 

“How may I help you, advisor Muzu?” Ravio’s voice sounded cheerful but there was an edge to it that could cut trees. Link didn’t know why the merchant was acting so hostile and it was almost scary to see such a change in his friend’s behavior. He didn’t think somebody as soft spoken as Ravio would even know how to be intimidating but here they were.

Muzu was patiently observing their every move, either not noticing or not caring about Ravio’s behavior and tone. Instead he hummed and those wrinkled eyes landed on Link.

“I wish to speak to the Hero of Hyrule.” 

Ravio tensed up some more but Link finally placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, feeling those muscles relax almost instantly under his touch. He lightly pushed the merchant to the side and took a step forward, his own expression unreadable. Link wouldn’t show any weakness, couldn’t show just how much the other’s words had hurt him. 

_“What is it?”_

Muzu’s eyes wandered between the two travellers and he eventually coughed into his hand. “Alone, if possible.” 

Ravio was about to say something but Link squeezed his shoulder, effectively shutting him up. They looked at each other for several moments and even though he couldn’t see the merchant’s eyes, the way his body slumped over spoke of surrender.

“Fine, I will go and buy us some ingredients. But you owe me dinner.”

Link watched as his friend hesitantly left him alone and the air around him felt so much colder all of a sudden. Breathing became a difficult task and the Hylian began to pick his nails nervously. 

“Champion Link, I…” Muzu stopped himself and closed his mouth as if to rethink his words. After a heartbeat he gestured over to one of the many bridges that lead out of Zora’s Domain.

“Let’s take a walk, shall we? I assure you we won’t go too far.”

Nodding, Link didn’t say anything as he was led away from the other Zoras. They walked in silence until they were out of earshot and the Hylian had to stop himself from looking over his shoulder for Ravio.

“I wish to talk about our… recent meeting.” 

Link felt a shudder run down his spine. He didn’t want to remember the insults and accusations. Not at all.

“It has been brought to my attention that what I have said yesterday had been insensitive and unfair towards your achievements and devotion. I acted out of hatred towards a group of Hylians that you did not belong to, and I blamed you for events that had been outside of your control. I realize now that I have treated you wrongly and that my anger should not be directed at a child that had been dragged into this whole war. You are as much of a victim of circumstances as princess Mipha and countless other Hyruleans had been. I was in the wrong and I can only hope that one day you will be able to forgive me, hero.” 

Link couldn’t believe his ears. Was Muzu, the angry, grumpy and hateful Muzu truly apologizing to him? To Link, out of all people? His confusion only got worse when the Zora actually bowed down in front of him and the Hylian was quick to shake his hands in an effort to get the advisor to stop it. His cheeks were growing warm and he quickly started to sign.

_“Please lift your head, it’s okay.”_

But the Zora simply shook his head and Link noticed just how exhausted and old Muzu truly looked.

“I am glad to have such a kind hearted Hylian as our hero and I hope that one day you will see this place as a second home. If you are ever in need of information please do not hesitate to come by. I, and every other Zora, owe you for the rest of our lives.”  
  


The tension left his body and an unknown weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Link found it easier to breathe and he simply nodded, not knowing what to say. He bit his lip and asked the most pressing question that came to mind.

_“With all due respect but…”_ He hesitated for a brief second before continuing _“... what caused this change of heart? I appreciate it, and I too am sorry for what happened in the past and for my inability to have ended this chaos when it had first started but… I thought you hated me.”_

Muzu hummed, a small smile on his lips as he crossed his hands behind his back. He began to walk away and Link wondered whether he would receive an answer at all but the Zora came to a stop, his eyes resting on the statue within the plaza.

“That friend of yours is quite an interesting young man. He is loyal and if there is one thing that I have learned in my many years it is that you should never let go of those who have devoted a part of their lives to you. Even the most unremarkable stone could hide a gem within and if you manage to find such rarity it would be best to hold onto it.”

Seemingly satisfied with what had been said, Muzu nodded towards Link one more time before walking back towards the Domain. Link was left wondering about whatever had just happened but he did have to admit that he was feeling better. Those former accusations had haunted him throughout his whole fight with the Lynel but for now he would close this chapter. He knew better than to believe that the guilt would simply vanish after a single pep talk but it was enough to keep him going. With a lighter heart Link returned to the small shop only to find Ravio arguing with the shopkeeper about the different prices.

He smiled to himself. Link didn’t know what Ravio had said to Muzu but he knew one thing.

Ravio sure was something else.

* * *

Stretching his arms, Link listened to the cracking of his bones as Ravio said goodbye to prince Sidon. It was a new morning and even though the king had offered them another day of rest, the two travellers had politely declined. After all it was about time to continue their little adventure.

Link was checking his Slate, trying to decide where to go next when he noticed the silence around the two of them. The faint sounds of the Zora Domain echoed through the mountains but other than that it was quiet.

Too quiet.

The Hylian finally looked up from his little device to see what was wrong. Usually Ravio would have already made a comment or complained about them just standing around but when Link looked at his friend, the merchant seemed to be frozen in place. Concern began to spread through his heart and Link put his Slate away to rest a hand on the other’s shoulder, slightly shaking him but to no avail. Whatever had caught Ravio’s attention was refusing to let him go. The Hylian tried to follow the direction the merchant was looking in and his eyes landed on Mount Lanayru, a mountain that stood tall and proud over anything surrounding them. Link couldn’t see what was so interesting about it.

Biting his lip, the Hylian reached out and cupped Ravio’s cheeks, gently moving the face towards him. He furrowed his brows and cocked his head in a silent question.

“I-I…” Ravio stuttered, seemingly stumbling over his own words. Link had never seen the merchant this speechless and his worry only grew. He wanted to ask whether Ravio was okay but he feared that if he let go of his friend he would lose his attention. Deciding against signing, Link instead moved a hand to his friend’s neck and rested their foreheads together. 

_Take your time._

“Wh-What’s up there, Link?” Goddess, Ravio sounded so _weak_ and it reminded Link of a scared child. He opened his eyes to stare at the mask, simply shrugging his shoulders. He didn’t know. 

“It feels as if something… is calling me… There’s... there’s this pain in my chest and it’s hard to breathe and somebody is crying for help and I… I…” The merchant swallowed and Link noticed just how much the other was trembling. He nodded silently and leaned back in order to take Ravio’s hands into his own. Taking a few steps, the Hylian pulled his friend into the direction of the mountain. He knew that the other Divine Beasts were all in different directions but whatever bothered Ravio had priority for now.

With a small smile he coaxed his friend into following him.

They travelled for hours without taking a break. The path they were following was ascending the longer they walked though Link was determined to push on. Whatever was up that mountain was hurting Ravio and he couldn’t just sit by and watch. The way the merchant would clutch his tunic from time to time was evidence enough. 

_“Are you alright?”_ Link finally signed when Ravio leaned against a tree, his head pulled back and breath uneven. He reached for his friend’s left hand but flinched when it was forcefully pulled away, disappearing behind the scarf. Ravio was biting his lip and Link felt lost. Just how could he help him?  
  


“I-I’m sorry…” Ravio mumbled and he held his right hand out instead. The Hylian took it into his own and he tried to steady the trembling fingers.

_“Let’s rest for the night.”_

Link helped Ravio lower himself into a sitting position, his back against the cold rocks around them. He pulled out some flint and wood, and used his sword to ignite a campfire. They weren’t even close to the mountain yet.

It would probably take at least another two days for them to reach the foot of Mount Lanayru.

Throwing some ingredients into his cooking pot, Link stirred the stew and checked the temperature before sitting down next to his friend. He searched his Slate for a blanket and summoned it for the two of them. Ravio leaned his head against his shoulder, their hands intertwined. 

“I’m sorry, Link… I didn’t mean to be a burden…” 

But the Hylian simply shook his head. He hated letting go of Ravio’s hand but he couldn’t stay silent while his friend was beating himself up.

_“Stop apologizing. I don’t mind, I was always curious about that mountain anyway. And now I don’t have to climb it by myself.”_

Sheerow hopped out of his little hiding spot and chirped a small melody. Whatever the bird was saying made Ravio chuckle softly and he allowed the bird to nuzzle into his chest. 

_“How do you feel?”_

His friend hummed as he absently stroked Sheerow with his left hand and Link noticed how some feathers would begin to stand up, indicating a change in temperature. 

“Mostly nauseous. And there is this really annoying headache, too. It’s like a drum right behind my eyes and it sometimes hurts so much I can’t see anything.” Ravio shrugged. “The worst part is that… voice… that I can hear. It’s not really saying anything but it’s like a far cry that just shakes my soul. It’s difficult to explain.” The merchant sighed in annoyance and buried his face in Link’s neck. 

“I’ve never felt this before… It’s annoying.”

Link snorted and wrapped an arm around his friend. He moved his hand underneath the hood and began to play with what he assumed was dark hair, careful not to pull the hood back. Why Ravio still felt like he had to hide himself from Link was beyond his understanding, and the Hylian would be lying if he said he wasn’t hurt by it, but he had been asked for his trust and Link needed to respect the decision. It did make him wonder though just what could be that horrible that Ravio had to hide himself from anyone and everyone. Had he been scarred? Or maybe burned? What reason could one have to wear a mask even when it was only the two of them?

“Hey, Link?”

He lightly tugged at Ravio’s hair, indicating that he was listening.

“Thank you. For everything.” And it sounded so genuine, so full of affection that Link didn’t know how to reply. He simply held his friend closer and continued to massage his scalp until he was forced to check up on their food. 

* * *

Climbing a mountain that was covered in snow and ice with a sick person who on top of it all had the strength of a toddler was a difficult situation to multitask. “I’m a scholar not a fighter!” had been Ravio’s defense after he had attempted to climb up an icy wall for the third time. Eventually Link had given up on the idea of taking the direct route and instead looked for a more or less even path that would lead them towards the mountain’s peak. 

Just as he had suspected, it took them around two days of travelling to enter the snowy region and leave around a third of the mountain behind them. They could only walk for a limited amount of time before they would have to look for a cave or protected area in order to take a break once again. Ravio could barely keep himself up on his own two feet within the snowstorms and his developed fever only got worse the longer they traversed through the cold. Sure, the cold resistance elixirs helped and he used his fire rod ever so often to warm them both but with his suffering health he barely managed to summon magic for longer than a handful of minutes. It forced them to take it slow and what could have been an easy one day climb had turned into a lasting struggle. 

Not like Link blamed the merchant for it. If anything, he was impressed by the stubbornness Ravio displayed even when he looked like he was about to faint. It had been Link who had initiated the breaks so far because if it had been left to his friend they would have travelled until the point of collapsing. Whatever was waiting for them at the top of the mountain had a deathgrip on Ravio and with the silence that was hanging over their heads thanks to the coldness, Link had been given time to think. A lot. He had started to wonder whether it had been such a good idea to climb the mountain in the first place. Ravio only got worse the further they got and his behavior had become a reason to worry. 

It had started innocently enough when Ravio had pulled his hand away. Back then Link hadn’t thought much of it. But with the time it had become more apparent that something was wrong with the merchant. His skin would be freezing cold and his whole body would be trembling and yet Link had caught him several times pushing his left hand into a pile of snow. Those times the Hylian had quickly pulled him away and even though Ravio had complained loudly, Link had forced him to take a break and warm his hands up so he wouldn’t lose any fingers. After that Ravio had become more guarded and an invisible wall had been built between them. The merchant would speak less and sometimes even mumble words in a language Link wouldn’t understand. Ravio would only ever walk on the Hylian’s left side and Link had the creeping suspicion that he was deliberately placing himself between him and that damned hand of his. 

It was frustrating, to say the least.

Whatever was wrong with Ravio’s left hand, he would never allow Link to come close enough to take a look. Even when the merchant would be asleep and Link would try to investigate, Sheerow would come out of nowhere and peck his hand in warning. 

It was the beginning of the fourth day when the two boys released a relieved sigh. They were close enough to make out the odd pillars of ice that surrounded the peak, and the snowy path was clear enough that they could follow it without any problems. The snowstorms had finally decided to take a break and Link was thankful for any light that broke through the darker clouds and warmed his face. The past few days had been exhausting for both body and soul.

Ravio was leaning heavily against his side by the time they had almost reached the peak. Link supported him as best as he could but his hands were frozen and every so often he would lose his hold on the merchant’s waist. It had been hours since Ravio had last said anything and Link could feel how hot the body against his own was. If they didn’t treat that fever soon then his friend would be in real danger. But every attempt at turning away had been futile so far. Link knew that they had to reach the peak first before Ravio would agree to leave. And so the Hylian readjusted his grip as they walked up stoney steps that were covered in snow and ice. 

Neither of them had been ready for the sight that awaited them.

The top of the mountain was surrounded by weakly glowing ice pillars. In the center of it all stood a Goddess statue amidst a small pond of clear water. But what stood out wasn’t the glowing of the statue or the unusual formation of the ice. No, what truly stole their breath was the giant dragon wrapped around the peak, its head hovering above the spring.

Link didn’t know where to look first. The dragon was a dark purple and malice radiated from all over its body, covering the dragon in those same evil eyes he had seen within the Divine Beast. Whatever this creature was, it had been corrupted by Ganon. A cold shiver ran down his spine at the ridiculous idea of even fighting this thing. There was no way they could take on such an elegant but deadly creature.

Link was forced to look away from the dragon when Ravio’s legs gave away, causing him to fall onto his knees. The Hylian was quick to kneel besides him and he had to watch as the merchant clutched his head, fingers digging into the soft material of his hood. Ravio was gasping for air as his whole body shook vehemently and Link knew that they had found the source of his friend’s pain.

“You who have overcome numerous trials and made your way to the top of Mount Lanayru… The one you see before you is an attendant to the Spring of Wisdom. This is Naydra, the blue spirit of Lanayru.” a soft spoken voice echoed throughout the peak and Link noticed the way the statue was glowing alongside the words. The Goddess was talking to them. “This servant of the Goddess has looked over the spirits of this land for ages, unknown to the world of man. However, the dreaded Malice unleashed by Ganon has possessed its body and reduced it to this state.” 

Ravio whimpered beside him and Link drew what he hoped were soothing circles onto the other’s back. He looked back to the dragon who was watching them carefully but neither made a move. It was obvious what the Goddess expected of them. As if to sense his thought, the creature moved its head lower and a giant eye opened on its forehead, staring down at the two travellers with a hatred that he had felt in every monster he had fought so far. The Malice wanted them dead.

“Link…” came a weak voice from beside him and the Hylian looked at his friend. Ravio was trying to stand up again and even though Link wasn’t sure that this was a good idea, he knew that if he didn’t help Ravio would only hurt himself more. He wrapped his arm around the merchant’s waist and steadied him as they got up. Ravio nodded at him in thanks and then pushed him away, needing space to rummage through his bag. Link was growing more nervous with each passing second and he could swear his heart skipped a beat when Ravio revealed his beautifully carved bow.

_“Don’t.”_ Link signed with a hint of urgency and panic. But Ravio ignored him as he struggled to pull an arrow out of his quiver. The Hylian placed himself between his friend and the creature. _“Don’t!”_ he signed again but the merchant only pushed himself past Link, lining the bow up with trembling hands. 

_“No!”_

The arrow shot through the cold air, hitting the eye on the dragon’s forehead. The creature cried out in pain and began to unwrap itself from the mountain, its mouth open only to reveal countless fangs. For a horrible second Link believed that this was their end but the dragon didn’t attack them, instead it flew straight over their little bodies, claws barely missing their heads. Its movement caused a strong upwind to appear and Ravio already pulled out his tornado rod, not hesitating as he used the gales to follow the creature on its escape. 

Link’s heart was in his throat as he grabbed his glider, following his friend close behind. Ravio was in no condition to fight and the Hylian feared that the merchant could lose his magic or grip on the weapon at any moment. The travellers glided past the spring and to the top of the mountain where Naydra was circling the sky above, patiently awaiting their arrival.

Ravio landed on an ice pillar with unsteady legs but he once again aimed with his arrow, shooting and missing another eye that was clinging to the dragon’s body. But Naydra continued to circle the two of them, seemingly waiting for something.

_For Ravio,_ Link realized. 

Whatever the connection between the two was, Naydra didn’t wish to harm Ravio. And there was no fear in the way his friend held himself. Sure, he was trembling and looked like he was about to faint but there was no tension. 

Naydra had called for Ravio and he was here to free the dragon of the Malice.

Every muscle within him screamed for him to move, to help, but Link pushed the instinct down. He would be close if the merchant needed him but he wouldn’t draw his bow.

After another failed attempt Ravio finally managed to hit another eye on the dragon’s body. Once again that painful cry echoed throughout the mountain and Ravio wavered from his spot on the ice pillar before catching himself. Naydra took off towards a neighbouring mountain but both Link and his friend were already following close behind, using the gales to keep themselves up. 

There was one more eye of Malice that they needed to get rid of. 

They landed on a nearby hill with several pine trees and Link watched in worry as Ravio couldn’t nail the landing, causing him to fall into the snow. He was by his friend’s side in a second and helped him up, needing to make sure that he was alright. Ravio’s breath was heavy and uneven, his cheeks red from both the fever and exhaustion. But the way he clutched onto Link’s arm, holding onto him with his last bit of strength, answered the silent question. No, he didn’t want help. 

Link picked up the dropped bow and offered it to Ravio, his gaze soft and supporting. _I am here for you_ , he tried to express. The merchant took the bow and used his free hand to cup Link’s cheek, thumb drawing a small line before withdrawing.

“I know you got my back, buddy.” 

The voice might have been small but it was filled with trust and affection. Link only nodded and gently pushed Ravio towards a lookout from which he could see the eye better. Naydra was still waiting for him so they would need to reschedule their sentimental moments. 

It was a breathtaking sight, Link realized. Ravio stood tall and proud at the edge of a cliff, the bow drawn to its limits. The rising sun covered the merchant’s body in a shadow, giving way of a body language that belonged to a hero, not a coward. Ravio seemed to collect himself and the moment he breathed out, he shot the arrow.

The remaining Malice screeched and withered away as it was hit straight in the eye. The two friends watched in eerie silence as Naydra tossed and turned in the air, a shiver running down its whole body as it began to glow. With a sudden burst of energy the dragon pushed off the remaining corruption and glowed a brilliant blue, returning to what Link could only imagine was its original form.

And it looked beautiful.

Now with the Malice gone, Link could see the white and blue scales shimmering in the sun, and its mane-like horns reflecting the beams of light. The dragon roared above their heads and returned to its original spot on Mount Lanayru, settling down on the pillars of ice. 

The dragon was awaiting them, the Hylian realized.

Hurrying over to Ravio, Link took the other’s arm and put it around his neck. His hand wrapped around the merchant’s waist and he nudged his friend's head with his own, wanting to check up on him. Ravio was still out of breath but the trembling had disappeared and he seemed to be able to carry his own weight better now. A bashful smile lingered on his lips when he noticed Link’s worry.

“I will be completely honest, Mr. Hero, I didn’t think I would make it.”

A heavy weight lifted off his shoulder and Link tackled Ravio’s side, causing the two of them to fall into the snow. Ravio laughed in between a whimper but Link simply buried his face in the cold neck, refusing to let go. He was overwhelmed with emotions and the flood of relief caused him to sob quietly, his body trembling.

“Ouch, I guess I deserve that one.” 

Stiff arms wrapped around his shoulders and Link felt himself being pulled closer to the withering warmth of his friend. He closed his eyes and took a few shaking breaths. Ravio was already feeling better, he would be okay. 

“Not that I want to complain, buddy, I love cuddling with you, really, but we are lying in literal snow and there’s a dragon spirit creature waiting for us.” 

Though Link didn’t want to admit it, his friend did have a point. With a sigh he pushed himself off Ravio and pulled him up, brushing some snow off the other’s shoulder with an embarrassed smile. Ravio’s laughter was like music to his ears and after making sure that they had all their items, the travellers used their glider and tornado rod to return to the Spring of Wisdom. 

Naydra truly was a majestic creature. It had wrapped itself around the ice pillars and stared down at them, its eyes a warm and welcoming contrast to the cold around them. Ravio and Link hesitantly stepped forward and that voice from before returned as the statue began to glow.

“Thanks to your efforts, Naydra, the spirit of Mount Lanayru, has been freed from the grips of an evil power. But a single ceremony remains. Now… Chosen Hero, step forward and free the spirit of this region!”

Link didn’t quite understand. He stared up at the dragon for any clue but Naydra simply rested on the ice pillars, calmly waiting for something to happen. He hesitantly took a step forward but he felt absolutely lost.

What did the Goddess expect of him?

A cold hand was placed onto his shoulder and Link turned to look at Ravio. The merchant was biting his lip, his left hand clenched into a fist and it seemed as if he was fighting an internal war. He finally sighed in defeat and looked over at Link as a haunting feeling overcame the Hylian. A heavy pressure suddenly pushed down on him and Link had to helplessly watch as Ravio began to take several steps forward. There was an unbearable tension in the air and the hero felt as if whatever was about to happen would change everything. To the better or worse, he couldn’t tell.

And that scared him.

“Please don’t freak out, Link.”

Walking up to Naydra, Ravio stopped just a few meters away. He began to pull at something and the moment he lifted his left hand into the air, Link’s eyes widened. A warm and golden glow radiated from the _Triforce_ resting on his friend’s hand, shining brighter the closer Naydra got. The dragon closed its eyes and leaned forward until it touched the hand, bathing the whole mountain in a brilliant light too bright to see through. Link was forced to shield his eyes and when he was sure that it was safe to look again, he saw Ravio standing still. The Triforce on his hand slowly lost its intensity until it was nothing but a darkened birthmark and the merchant faltered for a moment before catching himself. 

Link didn’t understand what was going on. Why was Ravio in possession of the Triforce? The hylian king had told him that princess Zelda was using its full power to hold Calamity Ganon back so how in Din’s name had the merchant gotten his hand on a piece? He took a trembling step back, unsure of what to say or do. If Ravio had one of the three Triforce pieces, did that mean he stole it from Zelda?

As if to sense his concern, Ravio slowly turned around. The color had returned to his skin and the trembling had stopped. If Link had to describe him he looked healthier than ever before and there was an unknown energy radiating from his body. The Hylian’s hand instinctively reached for a weapon but he stopped himself. Ravio was his friend…

...right?

“I guess I got some explaining to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is: the idea that had inspired this whole fic. 
> 
> Meeting Naydra ingame was one of my favourite moments in the whole game. I was just climbing the mountain to see if anything would be at the top and coming face to face with a literal corrupted dragon when I only had 4 hearts was an impressive and intimidating experience.
> 
> Eventually I came to wonder whether the dragons would behave differently around the wielders of each Triforce. Would Link, if he had the Triforce of courage, interact differently with Farosh? And then Ravio came to my mind and the shared headcanon that he would possess Wisdom... What if it wasn't Link who had the ability to help Naydra but the actual wielder of wisdom? And what if it was this revelation that would change their friendship?
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the long chapter and look forward to the next one!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	15. A tale of two worlds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio is faced with the realization that there is no dancing around anymore. He needs to tell Link the truth... Even if it might tear their fragile friendship apart.

Ravio’s fears had changed over the course of his life. He had been scared of spiders, Yuga, the bullies in knight class, and eventually his fears had shifted. He had begun to fear that he would never be enough or live up to the high expectations, had feared travelling to a faraway kingdom all by himself.

Ravio had been scared on the bridge, had been scared for Link’s safety in the Hinox fight, had been scared when he had found his friend wounded after an encounter with a Lynel.

But never had he been this afraid in his life.

Afraid that Link would never be able to trust him again.

“I guess I got some explaining to do.” he said with what he hoped was a lighthearted tone. But really, deep within the Lolian felt like crying. He tried to take a step forward but the twitching of Link’s fingers stopped him immediately. 

Ravio raised his hands in surrender.

“Link, please, I promise I will explain everything you want to know. Let’s just get down the mountain first, okay? You know as well as I do that we are almost out of elixirs.” 

_Please._

“I can’t outrun you. Let’s just get down and look for a place to stay… You have trusted me this far, please just give me a few more hours and I will tell you my… my story.” Ravio could see the wariness in those ocean blue eyes and he wanted to slap himself for causing such an emotion within his friend. He knew he had messed up. Big time. Link had trusted him for so long, had helped him up this mountain while he had barely clung onto his consciousness, and his reward had been a revelation he should have never found out about.

“Please, just until we are safe and sound… Let’s be a merchant and adventurer. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Link narrowed his eyes at him but there was something that dared Ravio to hope.

Hesitation.

With a sigh the Hylian turned around and began to walk away from the spring, not waiting for Ravio to catch up. The warming gaze of the dragon rested on his back as he hurried after his friend, not wanting to be abandoned in a place like this. 

The descent was easier, just as expected. The two travellers used their glider and rod to get down higher cliffs, and now that Ravio was feeling better they could walk at a faster pace. Neither of them said anything and the Lolian only guessed that Link preferred the silence over hearing his voice. He couldn’t hold it against the hero. After all he had just dropped a big bomb on him. But really, how should Ravio have reacted instead? ‘Whoops, sorry Mr. Hero but this dragon isn’t waiting for you but your pathetic excuse of a counterpart who is me by the way, oh and look at the shiny souvenir I got from home.’ Yeah, that would have worked out just fine.

It was an unfamiliar situation, feeling lonely while walking side by side with Link. Here in Hyrule the Hylian had become the closest person to be called a home and knowing that his story would tear their friendship apart was maddening. Link didn’t deserve a cowardish liar by his side. Ravio had been sent here to support the hero but all he had done was hurt him. 

Ravio hated himself for that.

They had both noticed a village not too far away from their location. It had been the only time Link had been willing to talk to him and within a few short sentences they had decided to head to that little town. It took them several hours but eventually the warmth of the setting sun began to warm their bodies up and windmills came into view. It seemed like a peaceful place to live in, a small village protected by its surrounding hills and a forest just a few minutes away. By the time they reached the first few houses Ravio was drenched in sweat, snow and exhaustion. He wanted to sleep and change out of his soaked clothes but for now the merchant kept his mouth shut. 

Link was leading him through the village and right past the Inn. Ravio had half the mind of pointing that out but it seemed like the Hylian had a destination in mind, even if he stopped every so often to check where they were. Weird cube-like looking buildings came into their view and Ravio noticed a bridge leading over a small cliff to what seemed to be an abandoned house. It was almost haunting and the Lolian whimpered when Link led them towards it. They came to a stop just outside the building and Link was staring at it for a few moments before opening the door without so much as a knock. The inside was covered in darkness and Ravio had been right - it was abandoned. The Hylian reached for his slate and began to remove his sleeping roll.

Well, guess that meant that they were staying for the night.

Throwing his own bag to the ground, Ravio began to rummage through it in search of his waterskin and a handful of candles. With the help of the fire rod he lit them all and the abandoned building became just a bit more welcoming. He was still trembling from the cold when Link pulled out his cooking pot to ignite a small camping fire within. The heat almost burned his freezing fingers but Ravio was quick to gather around the sufficient heat. He was thankful for it.

Link’s face was expressionless and he looked so much older in the moving light of the fire as Ravio watched the shadows flee over that pale skin of his friend. He couldn’t imagine just how much the Hylilan had gone through. 

Wary blue looked at him and Ravio suddenly realized that Link was waiting for him. 

Well, Ravio had enjoyed their time while it had lasted. Clearing his throat, the Lolian finally spoke up.

“Let me tell you a story about a faraway kingdom.”

Link visibly tensed up and Ravio smiled sadly. This was it. 

“A long long time ago, this kingdom lived in peace. It had been blessed by the three Goddesses with a gift so powerful it could grant any wish you could imagine. It was hidden away safely and the royal family watched over the treasure that their creators had left behind. The kingdom flourished and its citizens did not lack anything. But as it was the nature of every being, the people of the kingdom became greedy. They wanted the power of the Triforce for themselves, they wanted to rise above what they already were. Countless wars came to be, friends slaughtered friends, and too many to count fell in those hopeless conflicts. The royal family finally had enough and they decided to destroy the object of desire. With the help of their sages and loyal members they destroyed the Triforce and got rid of it. The wars stopped and for a few generations the kingdom was peaceful. But you cannot destroy an object that powerful and not suffer the consequences.” 

Ravio took a shaking breath, his dull eyes focused on the fire in front of him. “The kingdom began to die. Earthquakes tore the land apart, monsters appeared everywhere and citizens were killed or turned into monstrosities. The end had come and nobody was to blame but the greediness in the people’s heart. A young princess couldn’t stand watching her kingdom die and with the manipulative words of a traitor she decided to steal the Triforce of a world so similar yet different from her own. Your world, Link.”

He heard the sharp intake of breath but didn’t look up. He needed to finish the story. “The princess used the good hearted nature of the Hero of Hyrule to get her hands on both the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom. All that was left was courage but your hero didn’t back down. He defeated the traitor and with the help of the… of the failed hero of her kingdom, he snapped the princess out of her desperation. The Triforce was returned to Hyrule and with it all hope disappeared as well… Or so the princess and failed hero thought. It turned out that the chosen ones from Hyrule were kind enough to use their wish to grant the kingdom something it thought it would never get. A second chance. A new Triforce formed in front of the desperate princess and her hero, and a new era began for the kingdom.” 

The Lolian sighed as his fingers nervously tapped a gloved hand. 

“The royal family had learned from their ancestors' mistakes. The Triforce was too much of a temptation as a whole and so it was split into its three parts and scattered across the kingdom. The Triforce of Power was locked away deep inside a sanctuary protected by the magic of the new sages. And the other two Triforce pieces were free to look for their new hosts, over and over again. Every generation two people would be born with the Triforce on their hands and every generation the powers slumbering within would remain asleep. But 117 years ago something happened… A new princess was born, the Triforce of Courage on her hand. The king realized what this meant. The Triforce had never returned to the royal family unless a catastrophe had been approaching... Knowing that he had to prepare himself for whatever danger would appear in the near future, the king sent his soldiers to look for the wielder of the remaining Triforce.”

Ravio took a deep breath and removed the glove from his left hand, revealing the birthmark that had been haunting him his whole life. He held it up for Link to see.

“Eventually they found him. A young orphan who had lived his few years with a humble family of blacksmiths in Kakariko Village. The mark on his hand began to glow the moment he stood in front of his princess and when asked about his name, the boy replied with Ravio, the name once worn by the other heroes of their kingdom.” 

He held his hand close to his chest, green focused on the fire. Ravio couldn’t bear looking at Link, he was too scared to see what he would find in those eyes.

“From that day on I was raised alongside princess Hilda. They wanted to make a soldier out of me but quickly noticed how useless I was in battle. I couldn’t hold a sword for the life of me and I spent most of my days in the library, far away from all those other trainees who would look at me with disgust. I couldn’t hold it against them, really. I was a coward and a good-for-nothing, how did the Triforce of Wisdom mess up that badly by choosing me over anyone actually competent?” 

“Long long story short, I lived a calm life. But eventually all nice things had to come to an end. My princess and I dreamt of the same events. 100 years ago we both were plagued by nightmares of Calamity Ganon destroying Hyrule and invading our own kingdom. But my princess’ dream continued. She eventually saw you ready to face Ganon with… with me by your side.” 

Goddess, it was embarrassing to admit it. Ravio only hid inside his hood and pulled it lower. He couldn’t imagine the disappointment the Hylian must be feeling. Being sent the epitome of uselessness sure would be a hit to the face for anybody.

“It was clear what Lorule, my kingdom, had to do. Thousands of years ago the Hero of Hyrule had helped us in our darkest hour and it was finally time for us to return the favor. The sages gathered in our Temple of Time and with their combined strength I was sent to our Sacred Realm where I was sealed away until you returned. The next time I opened my eyes I found myself in between ruins and the ghost of a king told me that a hundred years had passed. I had a small breakdown and eventually set out to find the new hero in order to offer him my support.”

Finishing his story, Ravio listened to the cracking of the fire. His mouth was dry and he couldn’t help but fiddle around with his fingers. He felt naked, exposed to the whole world when in reality it was just the two of them. But then again Link had easily become his most important person in this kingdom. 

It hurt. There was so much pain in his chest that he had trouble breathing and Ravio chuckled when the first tears ran down his cheeks. He was so incredibly weak.

It felt like hours had passed when Link finally cleared his throat in order to get his attention. Ravio played with the idea of not looking up but he had promised answers. It was the least he could do now. 

_“So everything you told me was so I would keep you around?”_

His eyes widened and Ravio shook his head vehemently. “No, not at all! I didn’t lie to you about anything, I promise, Link. I really want to become a merchant and sell my inventions. And I really don’t like Zoras because back home in Lorule they are hostile towards us Lolians.” Link was flinching ever so slightly and Ravio bit his lip. He truly hammered down the fact that he was a foreign stranger pretending to fit in. But there was no reason to dance around the topic anymore. 

“I’m so sorry, Link. I heard about your amnesia and your king gave me the advice to keep my motivation a secret. I didn’t want to burden you with the knowledge of another world and I feared that if you heard about what my kingdom had done to yours that you…”

_“Would mistrust you?”_

Ravio winced but nodded. “I am supposed to be the reincarnation of the Hero of Lorule but all I feel is shame for his inability to stand up for himself back in those stories. He was a coward who couldn’t stop his own princess from doing something stupid, and I hate it because I am all the same. Not even the Master Sword acknowledged me as its wielder, it rejected me! The only reason why I was worthy of anyone’s attention was because of this stupid thing on my hand. If it wasn’t for the Triforce I would be nothing.”

The Lolian was trembling when he finished, his breath uneven. He was too tired to flinch back when a familiar hand took his own but Ravio still grimaced when warm fingers moved over his birthmark. He hated the stupid Triforce, hated the Hero of Lorule and he hated himself for being weak.

_“What about the disguise?”_ Link signed carefully but Ravio still winced as if he had just been hit. He had promised to be honest and it wasn’t like their friendship could be saved anymore.

“Lorule and Hyrule… they are like mirror images of each other. Our worlds are quite similar in a lot of ways. For example, your king looked like an older version of mine. I was told that most Loruleans had a counterpart in Hyrule. Somebody who looked similar to them.” 

Link furrowed his brows in confusion and Ravio felt like crying. He had hoped the other would catch on.

_“So you look like somebody from Hyrule?”_

He nodded, his heart racing. “Exactly. I’m wearing a hood and mask so that this somebody wouldn’t recognize me and so that anyone who would know my hylian counterpart wouldn’t confuse me for him.”

Link kept quiet before signing the words Ravio had dreaded the most. 

_“Can I see?”_

There was nothing more to lose. Ravio quietly picked Sheerow up from his scarf and placed the animal onto his bag next to him. His hand was shaking when he pulled his hood back, a shiver running down his spine as the cold air caught up to him. He ran his fingers through his black hair in a weak attempt to tame the mess but there was no use in prolonging the inevitable any longer.

_Please don't hate me._

Ravio held his breath as he reached for his mask.

_Please don’t despise me._

He removed it in one swift motion and listened to the sharp intake of breath he received in return.

_Please don’t leave me._

Opening his eyes, Ravio tried his signature smile.

“I didn’t think we were _that_ ugly, Mr. Hero.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's a mean cliffhanger...
> 
> Here it is, the moment probably most of you have waited for: the identity reveal. It was important to me while writing the fic not to wait too long with the reveal. Because now that he is playing with open cards these two can actually start getting to know each other with no more secrets keeping them apart. Link is finally able to see all of Ravio, both in appearance and in personality.
> 
> Whether he still accepts his friend or pushes him away, that's up to him. 
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	16. What makes you unique

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After revealing himself to Link, Ravio anxiously waits for him to react.

Tapping his fingers against the wooden mask, Ravio smiled nervously. Link hadn’t said anything for a while now and his anxiety had only gotten worse with each heartbeat. He didn’t know whether he should say something or apologize for that stupid joke but the decision was finally taken from him when Link began to move. 

Ravio whimpered when the hero closed the distance between the two of them and he kept his eyes shut when hands cupped his cheeks, moving his head around as the other pleased. The Lolian allowed Link to take in every little feature. It was only fair, seeing as how he had spent literal hours looking at his former friend. When the hands stilled Ravio cracked an eye open and he realized just how close they were. Link’s calm breathing tickled his neck and he shivered at the sensation. However, his attention was quickly drawn away when the Hylian cocked his head, moving a finger over the scar that ran through Ravio’s brow.

He couldn’t help but snort, catching them both off guard.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just… I got that stupid scar when Hilda and I ran away from some royal guards. We had heard the rumors about a night full of falling stars and we wanted to watch from a hill we used to play on. Long story short, she almost tore off my arm when she dragged me through the castle, I fell over my own legs and hit my head, and she simply pulled me back onto my feet so we could continue running. We did make it to the hill and watched the shooting stars though in the meantime I was bleeding all over her dress. Scared the shit out of the guards when they finally found us and their precious princess was covered in blood.” 

He grinned, revealing his tooth gap. “It was definitely worth the months of house arrest.” 

Link shook his head but the smile on his lips caused Ravio’s heart to flutter with hope. The warm fingers continued their little exploration and rested on his freckles next. The merchant shrugged his shoulders.

“I spent a lot of time indoors so when I finally went out into the sun I was just covered in them. Hilda once tried to connect them all while I was asleep and it wasn’t fun explaining to a disappointed sage why all of his saved up ink had ended up on my face.”

The fingers moved down until they rested on his lips and Ravio swallowed thickly. “In my defense, I never did anything stupid to cause that gap. It had just always been there. Earned me the nickname of rabbit.” 

Link remained quiet and the Lolian grew nervous once again. “For the record, I prefer your eyes over mine. Blue eyes are incredibly rare in Lorule and yours are the color of the ocean and sky. There is something endless about them. I’m just stuck with some dirty green.” But the Hylian was quick to shake his head, pulling his hands away to sign.

_“I think they are beautiful.”_

Ravio felt his throat tighten up. More tears threatened to fall and even though Link was quick to wipe them away, more were coming. He wanted to speak up and apologize but he was hushed almost instantly. 

_“The longer I look at you the more I see the differences. At first I thought you were a copy of me but… there is so much more to you. We aren’t similar at all.”_

Their eyes met and Ravio felt so small under that kind glance, so exposed to a person who had only shown him warmth and hospitality. He felt weak and pathetic but Link was here with him and as always he knew just the right things to say.

_“Thank you for telling me, Ravio.”_

But the Lolian could only shake his head, not wanting to hope just yet. “Why aren’t you mad at me? You should be storming out of the house and leave me behind. I kept so much from you and I must be such a disappointment! You are a hero, all courageous and kind and loving and determined! And I am supposed to be your counterpart but I am just me, you must be disgusted by my existence.” His voice broke and Ravio couldn’t keep himself from sobbing. He hated seeing the pity in his friend’s eyes. He didn’t deserve this Goddess damned kindness!

_“You saved Sheerow. You helped me against the Hinox. You were by my side when I felt out of place in Zora’s Domain. You calmed the Divine Beast and helped defeat a part of Ganon. And you freed a literal dragon from the evil malice. You are as much of a hero as I am, Ravio. And I will tell you this over and over again until it sticks with you. You don’t have to be strong to help others. You are already smart and empathetic and loyal.”_

Link sent him a pointed look. _“Muzu apologized to me, you know? Someone talked to him and managed to change his opinion about me. I don’t know what you said but he spoke highly of you.”_

_“I am proud to know that Lorule has a hero like you. But even if you don’t think of yourself as one…”_

Link placed his hand on Ravio’s chest, their eyes never leaving each other.

_“You are a person first and foremost. And a person should be allowed to be flawed.”_

Ravio shook his head but there was a small smile on his lips as he took Link’s hand into his own, intertwining their fingers. The freezing cold had left his body ages ago and all the Lolian could focus on was the warm body in front of him, and the blue eyes he could lose himself in.

“Using my own words against me, Mr. Hero? Why, I didn’t think you had it in you. I must be a better teacher than I thought.” 

His friend snorted and signed one more sentence before wrapping his arms around Ravio’s neck, pulling him into a tight hug. 

_“You definitely are a better friend.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to say that today I got two pieces of fanart to show off!
> 
> [First we got Ravio revealing himself, drawn by raptorsrou!](https://raptorsrou.tumblr.com/post/621481284005478400/i-didnt-think-we-were-that-ugly-mr-hero-from)
> 
> [Secondly, we got Link with the Lynel from chapter 12, drawn by mildlycuriousdragon!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/621470124741935104/whatcha-got-there-link-a-smoothie-shock)
> 
> This is the shortest chapter of the whole fic and I apologize for that. Tomorrow we will be back to the normal lengths and we will get to read Link's pov about the situation as well. For now just enjoy this tiny snippet of their shared softness. 
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	17. A place to call home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link comes to a conclusion regarding Ravio's revelations and the following morning doesn't start as calmly as expected.

Burying his face in Ravio’s neck, Link closed his eyes. He had a lot to unpack but he could always deal with the new revelations later, right now his friend needed him.

A realization the Hylian had had the moment Ravio had started rambling. Sure, the merchant hadn’t been completely honest with him and he had deliberately withheld information but when he had listened to Ravio’s waterfall of words Link had realized that the person sitting across from him had still been his dorky friend.

No matter what he had been told, the _Lolian_ was still the same person he had met on that bridge and who had tried to rent him to Zoras. By now Link knew more about Ravio than his own past but he didn’t care. Those days on the mountain had been the worst since he had awoken and knowing that his friend was healthy again was enough for Link. He didn’t care about their shared features or how it had been no coincidence that they had met. 

They were together.

Leaning back a bit, Link ignored the questioning sound of his friend. He needed to see him again, needed to make sure that those freckles were still there and that green was as intense as before. After he had gotten over his initial shock, Link had found himself wanting to look at Ravio. It was a surreal experience but there were so many more details for him to make out. 

In the light of the fire Link had a bit of trouble truly admiring the features of his friend. His black hair seemed to become one with the shadows around him and the Hylian ran his fingers through it, finally able to mess with it with no restriction of a hood. And those attentive green eyes followed his every movement, motivated less by fear and more by curiosity. Link wondered if those eyes could see straight through him and for the first time since their initial meeting he felt a bit awkward under his friend’s analytical glance. He wasn’t used to anyone looking at him with such interest. 

It was a feeling he wanted to get used to though.

“What are you looking at, Mr. Hero?” Ravio mumbled with a smile and a cold finger touched the spot between his brows, lightly massaging it until his face began to relax. “You are too young for wrinkles, stop looking so intense.” Link playfully smacked the hand away and listened to the laughter he got in return. He noticed that whenever the Lolian laughed his cheeks would turn a faint shade of red and his eyes would shine with amusement and joy. 

_“I’ll have you know that I’m 117."_ Link signed. _"Respect your elders.”_

But Ravio simply snorted as he wrapped his arms around Link’s neck, intertwining his hands. 

“Tough luck, Mr. Hero. I, too, am 117 years old. And if I had to take a wild guess I would say we were born on the same day as well. So don’t try and pull that age card on me.”

Their shared slumber and connection was probably an odd thing to joke about but the way the Lolian was making fun of their similarities warmed Link’s heart. If Ravio felt well enough to joke about this newfound revelation then it meant that they would be okay. 

They continued to warm themselves on the fire, never far from each other. Link found too much joy in finally seeing Ravio and his friend seemed relieved enough not to be bothered by it. It was only when the fire needed more wood that the two travellers finally moved from their little spot on the ground in order to get ready for the night. They struggled with the clothes for a moment or two but once they had taken most of their armor off, they hung them over the ledge of the abandoned house to fully dry. Link was too tired to prepare anything big but luckily Ravio didn’t mind eating whatever he had stored in his Sheikah Slate. And so they both ended up eating the remains of roasted fish, finally warming their insides.

Now fully stuffed and cozily warm, Link and Ravio unrolled their blankets to rest for the night. The Hylian was lying on his side and used his arm as a pillow while Ravio had his arms crossed behind his head to stare at the dark ceiling. 

Closing his eyes, Link released a deep breath. He fell asleep within seconds.

* * *

He awoke to the chirping of distant birds, the first sunbeams breaking through the window and the loud yells outside the building as something heavy hit a wall.

Link had never been that fast on his feet.

The Hylian had grabbed whatever weapon he had found first in his slate and with a deep breath he kicked the old door open, ready to attack whatever was going after their safe haven. Sword in hand, Link blinked dumbfoundedly as he stared at three weird looking men, one wielding a sledgehammer. 

“Well, if that isn’t a surprise…” The bald one said, a hand resting on his tiger-striped collar. He began to circle Link and the hero swallowed nervously, not yet sure whether he was safe or not. At last the man clapped his hands and startled his two companions. 

“Me and my boys were just about to demolish this little house but it appears that somebody has already made himself quite at home, hm? I’m afraid that I will have to ask you to leave because Bolson Construction Company always works on time. So if you don't mind…” The man moved his hands, ushering Link to leave all at once. 

Demolish? Why would they demolish a house like this? Sure, it was abandoned and needed to be worked on but just the idea of it being erased left a bitter taste in Link’s mouth. There was something about this place that felt like home and knowing that it had been here where Ravio had trusted him with his past only made it more important. Link couldn’t allow them to tear the house down!

_“What if I bought it?”_ Link signed without thinking and he remembered belatedly that there was a possibility they wouldn’t understand him. The bald guy, however, raised a brow and tapped his mouth thoughtfully.

“My my, aren’t you an eager one. But you see, it would cost you quite a lot. Are you sure you could pay us?”

Determined to keep the house, Link nodded.

_“How much do you want?”_

The man studied him closely and smiled slyly, causing a shiver to run down the Hylian’s spine.

“The cost of operation would be around 50,000 rupees. You would have to pay that much in order to stop the demolition. Are you still confident about that decision of yours?”

Link swallowed. Okay, that was a lot of rupees. Like, a whole lot. He looked back over his shoulder and wondered whether the house was truly worth it. What would he do with it, anyway? He and Ravio were travelling most of the time, it would still be empty. 

“Mr. Hero?” a tired voice called from inside the home and Link made his decision. He looked back towards the group of men.

_“I will pay whatever you want in return for this house. I would just need some time.”_

The man in front of him grinned from ear and ear and rubbed his nose. “I like you, boy, so I will lower the price for you. You will become the official owner of this building in exchange for 3,000 rupees and 30 bundles of wood. Do we have a deal?” He outstretched his hand and without hesitation Link took it.

“Attaboy. I knew you were a smart one when I first saw you. Hudson! Karson! Cease the demolition! We got a new client!” 

“As you say, boss!” “Sure thing, Bolson!” the two men replied and Link sighed in relief when the sledgehammer was placed against a tree. The Hylian sent the workers a quick nod as a thank you before he vanished inside the house, closing the door behind himself.

Ravio was busy putting his tunic back on when the door slammed shut. Link winced in sympathy as his friend yelped in surprise and he hurriedly crossed the distance to steady the Lolian. Soon enough did black hair pop up through the collar and Ravio finished dressing himself. Though the moment his eyes met Link's, the merchant flinched away and pulled the hood back over his face. The Hylian stepped back in confusion, wishing to give his friend some space.

_“Are you okay?”_

Ravio seemed to be hiding from him and Link lifted his hands in surrender. He wasn’t sure why his friend was reacting this way but he didn’t want to upset him even more. It took several heartbeats and deep breaths for Ravio to hesitantly lower the hood, his eyes looking anywhere but Link.

_Ah._

He was still afraid. 

Link’s expression softened and he walked over to his friend, taking a colder hand into his own. He slowly lifted it to his cheek and leaned into it, never breaking eye contact when that beautiful green looked at him. Ravio seemed nervous but soon enough did a thumb move over his skin. The merchant smiled weakly and there was the dorky tooth gap again.

“Sorry, I… I’m not used to it yet… Old habits die hard and stuff…” Ravio chuckled breathlessly and Link simply nodded into the touch. “So what was with those voices outside? Are you okay? Did somebody scold you because we stayed here?”

Link formed a silent ‘o’ with his mouth and he let go of Ravio’s hand in order to reply. He felt his cheeks heating up and attempted to smile bashfully as he tried to sign as casually as he could.

_“So I might have agreed to buying this house…”_

There was a beat of silence, followed by a dumbfounded expression and several failed attempts at speaking. Ravio finally closed his mouth again, brows furrowed. “You… you're going to buy this house.”

_“Kinda.”_

“How can you kinda buy a house?” 

_“I agreed to pay 3,000 rupees and supply 30 woods.”_

Ravio took a deep breath but he couldn’t keep his voice calm. “You are going to pay 3,000 rupees for this vacant building?!”

_“And 30 woods.”_ Link added unhelpfully. He sent the merchant what he hoped was an innocent smile.

“You’re killing me, Link. I hope you know that. I’m too old for this, you are going to kill me with your impulsiveness.” He ran his hands down his face and groaned overdramatically. “I leave you alone for 5 minutes and you fight a Lynel. I leave you alone for a morning and you end up buying a house.” 

Pouting, Link shoved his friend away and glared at him weakly. _“There were men outside who had been hired to demolish this house. I couldn’t just let them tear the walls down while you were still asleep.”_ Ravio’s eyes widened for a moment but he cocked his head, his gaze softer now. _“It sounds stupid but this place here…”_ Link uselessly gestured around _“It feels familiar. It feels like home. And it’s here that you took off your mask… I didn’t want the house to disappear just like that.”_ He lowered his arms and simply shrugged. There was no good way to describe what he was feeling and it seemed ridiculous to even try. 

“Okay…” Ravio said gently and Link could feel those colder hands rubbing his arms soothingly. “I’m sorry for joking about it, Link. If this house means so much to you then I will help you, of course. It would definitely be nice to have a place we could return to and leave stuff at…” Green eyes suddenly widened and Link watched with amusement as the tanned boy began to turn red, a flustered look on his face. Without the mask there were so many new expressions and Link found great pleasure in exploring them all. The Hylian cocked his head in a silent question but Ravio was quick to look away. 

“I mean, of course it’s going to be your home, you would be the owner. I’m just a guest in Hyrule so forget I even said somethi—” But he had already placed his hand over Ravio’s mouth in order to shut him up. 

_“If you help me collect the rupees it will be our house.”_

Ravio huffed, a small smile on his lips. There was so much affection in green eyes that Link felt like he was about to burst. 

“Our house… It has a nice ring to it…”

The merchant’s smile turned sly and Link already knew he would hate whatever would come out of his mouth next.

“You know what would sound even better? If we named it Ravio’s Shop.”

_“I take it back. It’s going to be my house.”_

But Ravio had already wrapped his arm around Link’s neck, pulling him against his chest. “Sorry, Mr. Hero. We already got a deal going on, no refunds. We will talk about the details of our little agreement once we paid it off, shall we?” 

Link rolled his eyes and simply pushed his friend away so he could start getting properly dressed. He was just readjusting his armor when he noticed Ravio standing next to the door, mask hiding his face. His heart dropped for a moment and he looked away so the merchant wouldn’t see his disappointment.

But when did anything ever get past the Lolian?

Ravio stood before him not a moment later and even though Link didn’t look up, a cold hand was placed onto his neck. He was pulled closer until their foreheads touched and all he could stare at were unmoving eyes that had been painted onto a piece of wood.

“It’s not because of you, I promise. But my reasoning from last night still stands. It’s better if the people around here don’t know about us two, I don’t want to have to explain our similarities over and over again whenever we enter a new village. There is only one Hero of Hyrule and if I looked like an evil doppelgänger of you it wouldn’t do us any good.”

But Link shook his head, eyes determined. _“I don’t care about what others might think of us. You sacrificed so much to come here, you shouldn’t have to hide. It’s unfair.”_

Huffing softly, Ravio used his free hand to push the mask up onto his head, his green eyes as kind and affectionate as before. “Tell you what, Link. I get to wear the mask whenever we are in a village but once we are alone I take it off. Wouldn’t that be a nice compromise?” 

Link thought about it for a moment and with a small sigh he nodded, admitting defeat to his own stubbornness. If Ravio felt more comfortable wearing a mask then who was he to tell his friend otherwise. He still pouted to make his displeasure known but the merchant simply nudged their noses together before pulling his mask back down.

“Come on, there was a cooking pot in front of our house, right? How about you make us some nice breakfast and we check the map for our next destination?” 

And so the two travellers left the building together and sat down underneath an apple tree as the morning sun shone into their faces. Link was mostly busy watching over the cooking ingredients while Ravio leaned against his shoulder, Sheikah Slate in hand. They didn’t have the whole map unlocked yet but the markings did tell them where the remaining Divine Beasts could be found. Now the friends had to make a decision - whether to head north and past the Zora’s Domain or travel west to the other side of Hyrule. 

“Do you know anything about those other places?” Ravio asked as he zoomed in on the unknown parts of the map. Link sat back for a moment and played with the cooking spoon as he tried to remember whether Impa had told him anything.

_“North should be… Death Mountain… And I think there is a desert in the west…”_

Ravio snorted and moved his head to look at his friend. There was a teasing though nervous smile on his lips. “Death Mountain? You guys called your volcano _Death Mountain?_ Aren’t you all a merry pile of misery… In Lorule we got a cold and snowy mountain in that location. Apparently there used to be a volcano but it had been inactive for a long long time and after the destruction of the Triforce the whole place just began to freeze over.” He hummed and put the slate aside in favor of fiddling around with his scarf, a habit Link found quite adorable. “Now that I think about it, it’s ironic that we got a mire in our west. All the regions are flipped…” 

The more Ravio told him about Lorule the more curious he got. Link had even played with the idea of one day travelling to that mysterious kingdom. He wondered whether his friend would accompany him and show him around, and whether they could explore Lorule the same way they were travelling through Hyrule. Link found himself wanting to visit his friend’s world and see where he had grown up and what had formed him into the person he was today. Ravio had been sent over with the combined magic of his sages and Link didn’t know whether Hyrule still had those but… maybe once everything was over, they could somehow use the Triforce or another source to travel between worlds.

It was an impossible idea but Link still found himself smiling. As his friend had once said, they should be allowed to want and dream. 

“What do you say, Link? Would you rather die of thirst in a desert or get burned alive? Both quite the tempting destinations for our next little vacation… I can’t believe I already miss the annoying rain from the fish domain.” Ravio groaned and the Hylian allowed the merchant to hide his face in the crook of his neck. A shiver ran down his spine when some loose strands of hair tickled his skin but Link simply wrapped an arm around his friend’s shoulder so he could sign freely. 

_“If we teleport to the Lanayru Tower then Death Mountain should be closer. It does sound like a rather dangerous place so it might be better to get it done sooner rather than later?”_

The way that Ravio pulled his nose into a grimace looked hilarious though Link wished he could also see that reaction in those hidden green eyes. He ruffled black hair and chuckled softly. 

_“Are you scared of a little bit of heat, Mr. Fire Rod?”_

“Scared? Me? Who do you think I am?” 

There was a beat of silence. 

“I’m terrified!”

Link laughed silently and lightly shoved his friend away so he could return his attention to their food. It was best to cook several rations so they wouldn’t end up running out of supplies on their next trip.

“By the way, what do you mean by teleporting? I thought you didn’t know how to use magic.” 

Waving the spoon around, the Hylian had to think of a way to explain it. _“I’m not sure. But we can use the Sheikah Slate to teleport to places I’ve visited before. It was useful when I was collecting the runes on the Great Plateau.”_

“That doesn’t sound like science…” Ravio mumbled under his breath and Link was quick to slap a tanned hand away when his friend tried to reach for a few of his ingredients. “And you’re sure it could carry us both? I don’t want to arrive at the Zora’s Domain missing half of my body parts.”

_“It’s probably fine. If it can teleport me and all the two handed weapons I can carry on my back then an additional body should work.”_

“Emphasis on ‘should’.”

_“Emphasis on should.”_

“You really need to work on your motivational speeches, Mr. Hero. They absolutely suck.” the merchant sighed dramatically as he fell onto Link’s lap. The Hylian automatically began to run his fingers through the exposed black hair and Ravio hummed pleasantly. 

_“Optimistic words are your strength, not mine. It’s why we work so well together.”_

They sat in silence for a few more minutes until Ravio reached up to stop Link’s hand. Blue eyes watched curiously as he allowed the merchant to move his hand away and his heart fluttered when their fingers were intertwined.

“You win, Death Mountain it is. But I get to complain and whine throughout the whole trip.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to announce that there's more fanart to show off today!  
> 
> 
> [Click here to see an amazing interpretation of Ravio freeing Naydra from chapter 14, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/621571364932993024/ravio-stood-tall-and-proud-at-the-edge-of-a)  
> 
> 
> And this marks the end of the little 'revelations arc'. The following chapter is one of my favourites though while writing it these two gave me a lot of trouble. More on that tomorrow though.
> 
> I really hope that you guys weren't too disappointed with the way Ravio revealed himself and especially Link's reaction to all this. Originally I had planned for Link to be a bit colder at first but sometimes characters write themselves and sometimes said characters just don't wanna fight but cuddle. 
> 
> A big thank you to everyone who has read, commented, or even went out of their way to draw for this fic! You all are incredible.


	18. Magic moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link continue their journey and the merchant tries himself as teacher.

And complaining he did. Like a master. He was useless when it came to swords but Ravio knew how to complain in at least three different languages. Coming up with the most bizarre ways of whining had been his way of wasting time as the two travellers had made their way north from that weird tower. They were walking down a lonely path and Ravio came up with the most ridiculous yet beautiful metaphors to express his dislike for any temperature change that was above or below comfy. For a scary hour or so the Lolian had feared that he was annoying Link but his friend was laughing openly at his horrible comparisons and Ravio had decided that the Hylian enjoyed his rants.

“Stop grinning, Mr. Hero! I’m absolutely serious here! You are supposed to be all about science and yet you can’t explain to me how there can be a freaking volcano just a week away from an ice mountain! That’s not how climate is supposed to work!” He threw his hands into the air to emphasize the ridiculousness of the situation. “I mean, look at Lorule! We got some snow, a swamp, and your normal grasslands! That’s how it should work! I feel like Hylia just wrote down a bunch of biomes and then threw some stones at the list to figure out the map of Hyrule.” He cleared his throat and the next time he spoke up, his voice was way higher. “Oh? What’s this? A volcano, a desert and an icy mountain all in the same kingdom? Those poor poor idiots, good luck surviving there.”

Link was clutching onto his arm by now, his face flushed from all the laughter as tears began to form in his eyes. Green softened and Ravio simply watched as his friend tried to catch his breath in a futile attempt to calm down just a little. Goddess, it felt good to see Link so carefree and to act as if neither of them carried the burden of their respectful kingdoms. Right now they were but two travellers having a good time together. And Ravio enjoyed every moment of it.

“This is how you figure out just why exactly that Ganon guy used to end up with the Triforce of Power because no one with just a hint of brain or self respect would try so hard to conquer a kingdom that had the interior design of a kid’s head.” 

They had to take a short break and Ravio grinned from ear to ear when his friend held his stomach from laughing too hard. As he rubbed circles onto the other’s back, the merchant felt proud knowing that he had been the cause for all of this. Link was panting heavily and Ravio wrapped his arms around him when that heavy body leaned against his shoulder for support. The Hylian’s cheeks were a bright red and there was still a tired smile on his lips though Ravio’s attention was drawn to those endless eyes that were framed by laughter lines. He wasn’t sure just why his own heart beat just a little faster when Link looked up at him. They simply stared at each other and Ravio couldn’t help but lean closer until his nose nudged his friend’s cheek.

“I didn’t know it was this easy to bring the Hero of Hyrule to his knees.” Ravio mumbled lowly and he noticed how a shiver ran down his friend’s spine. He had no idea what had caused such a reaction but he tightened his hold on Link, not wanting to let go just yet.

However, when a loud chirping noise tore through the silence like a knife, the two travellers jumped away from each other, bodies tense with anticipation. The Lolian’s heart was racing and his cheeks were heating up when the chirping sound returned, this time quieter. 

Sheerow was wiggling within the scarf and Ravio sighed in relief for the welcomed distraction. He didn’t dare to look at Link when he helped the little bird out of his nest. Goddess, he could feel the heat running over his neck as well.

“What’s up, buddy?” The merchant said cheerfully. His feathery companion chirped again and Ravio’s eyes widened as he quickly moved to hold Sheerow in his open palms. He lifted his arms and watched as the bird shook its body before flapping both wings. Seconds passed until Sheerow hopped off the hands and Ravio watched in delight as the bird flew around his head, its wings perfectly healed.

“You did it! You can fly!” Embarrassment forgotten, Ravio lifted his fist into the sky before dancing around with the bird, a bright grin on his lips. He laughed as Sheerow flew around them and finally landed on Link’s head. It chirped proudly. 

“He’s all healthy again, Link!” Without wasting a thought Ravio grabbed his friend’s hands and spun him in a circle as Sheerow took off once again. 

“So what are you going to do now, Sheerow?” The merchant asked once the initial excitement had died down. Sheerow was resting on his hand and preened itself. “Do you want us to take you back to the Forest of Time?” The Lolian didn’t want his voice to drop but he couldn’t help it. The idea of the bird leaving him was a bitter one. 

But his feathery friend simply chirped and moved until it could rest inside his hood. Ravio felt a weight being lifted and he smiled toothily. “Welcome onboard, Sheerow. I’m glad you decided to remain a regular in this fine business of Ravio’s and Friends.” 

They continued to travel for a bit, silence their only companion. On their left side a cliff to a breathtaking sight over Hyrule opened up while their right was decorated by dozens of large rocks that built a steady wall. Ravio eventually came to a stop and after a few more steps Link too slowed down, looking at him questionably. 

“How about we take a little break? I’m starving.” As if to prove his point, his stomach made a small rumbling sound. The merchant gently patted his belly and shushed it much to the amusement of the Hylian. “There there, little tummy, I’m sure Link wouldn’t mind sharing some of the delicious food he cooked just for us.”

Settling down on a rock next to the path, Ravio sat cross legged and impatiently drummed his fingers as Link took his sweet time looking through his slate. The Lolian knew that his friend did it on purpose but he knew better than to tease the cook. Nothing good would come out of teasing the main supplier of their little group. Eventually the Hylian decided on roasted salmon and Ravio rubbed his hands eagerly, making small grabby hands when given their field snack.

_“I have a question.”_ Link signed in between eating. 

The merchant simply hummed. “I may have an answer.” 

He watched as Link cleaned his hands on his tunic before signing again. _“You were one of the first people I’ve met who knew sign language. How did you learn it?”_

Oh, well, that was an easy enough question. Ravio swallowed his bite and put the remaining fish back onto his wooden plate. “Lorule’s politics used to be pretty rough. The Lolians and Zoras had been enemies for literal centuries so once the whole kingdom had calmed down you were left with several races who had drifted so far apart that they didn’t share the same language anymore. Most Loruleans were also Lolians so they spoke the same common accent but it got a bit trickier when the wars between the other races came to an end. You see, the Zoras were always a proud race so when it came down to communication both sides kinda refused to give up their own language in favor of another. Sign language basically became the universal way of speaking, it was something each race was willing to learn and use. That way the Lolians kept their common language and the Zoras didn’t lose their own unique tongue. So it didn’t matter whether you were Lolian, Zora or Gerudo. Everyone would understand you if you knew signs.” 

He sent Link a small and nervous smile. “After my king died Hilda was suddenly expected to rule the kingdom. And, well, she wanted me as her right hand man. I wanted to live up to her expectations and I spent countless nights learning the language of the Zoras and the dialect of the Gerudos. Sign language was something you were taught as a kid but as the advisor of the princess I wanted to be a shining example and talk to each race in their own language. You know, as a form of respect and stuff.” Link didn’t need to know that his anxiety had played a huge role as well, not to mention the fear of being bullied in a language he didn’t understand.

_“So in Lorule everyone would understand me?”_ Blue eyes were wide in wonder and Ravio spent a short second imagining the Hylian back in his kingdom. Would Link like Lorule? Would he agree to Ravio showing him around? Or would he prefer Hyrule and immediately turn on his heel. 

“Exactly. Though most aren’t as fluent as I am. Obviously Lolians who live in the countryside would never meet a Zora so it’s not necessary for them to refresh their sign knowledge. But in theory everyone knows the basics.”

Link seemed to be deep in thoughts and Ravio decided to leave him be. He finished the rest of his fish and began to clean up when a hand wrapped around his wrist, causing him to still his movements.

_“Can you teach me magic?”_

Ravio blinked dumbfoundedly. He hadn’t expected such a request.

“I mean… I guess I could try? I can’t use any spells so are the rods okay?” Link nodded eagerly and there was a spark of excitement and eagerness in those brilliant blue eyes. He couldn’t help but grin. 

Standing up, Ravio cleared his throat and placed a hand on his hip while he pointed at his friend with the other. 

“A warm welcome to you, my student! I’m so glad that we have gathered here today for our first class of ‘Classical Magic: The fascinating art and craftsmanship of Ravio’s apparatus’!” He twirled on his heel for good measure and bowed down, waiting for the clapping that hesitantly followed. 

“Now, now, I know we are so excited to jump right in, grab a rod, and burn this whole place down, BUT!” And he pointedly looked towards his student “Magic is like a delicate dance.” He lifted his arms and imitated the many dances that he and Hilda had been forced to perform on those boring balls. “And the nature around you is your partner. So instead of stepping on its foot right away we will start with baby steps.”

Ravio pulled out his blue rod. Ice magic should be the least harmful one in their current environment. After all, the tornado rod could push Link off the cliff and a fire in this restricted area could spread too fast. 

“I have seen you use your Sheikah Slate and I need you to understand that magic cannot be forced the way your runes can. You can't just point your magical rod at an object and force it to react to your wishes, you need to be in balance with the energy surrounding you.” Twirling the rod in his hand, Ravio moved his arm over his head, creating a rainbow of snowflakes. He continued to dance in fluent motions as he wrote his name into the air with powder snow which reflected the light into different colors. Pride swelled within his chest when he saw Link’s wide eyes. 

Magic was an art, after all.

“When it comes to the charged energy around us, I have to admit that Hyrule is severely lacking in that department. Lorule is filled with magic, so much that if you know your formulas and theories you can create lightning between your fingers. Not enough to harm or be useful, but a small spark can be ignited simply by breathing in the air. You can do the same here in Hyrule but it takes a lot more effort and drains you way faster.”

Ravio waved his friend over and offered him the ice rod. Link took it with a cautiousness that said that he had been listening and the merchant couldn’t be prouder. He went to grab his fire rod and positioned the two of them far enough from each other so nobody could accidentally get hurt.

“The way my rods work is rather simple on paper. You focus your magical energy on the rod and the gem on top of it will convert that energy into whatever element it has been attuned to. Not every gem can recreate every element, though. Sapphires for ice, rubies for fire, emeralds for wind, and diamonds for thunder. Though I haven’t gotten my hands on a diamond yet so I can’t offer that kind of magic.”

A small fire appeared on the top of his fire rod and Ravio once again began to move around, drawing nonsensical symbols into the air. The flames stayed where they were for several seconds and when Ravio quickly moved the rod through the drawings, the fire disappeared. 

“I want you to close your eyes, Link. You are holding the ice rod so I want you to focus on the feeling of water. Remember our time in Zora’s Domain, how the rain felt on your body. What it’s like to finally get something to drink after so many hours of exhaustion. These rods are less weapons than they are simple tools. And once you think you are focused enough, just envision whatever you want the rod to do. The possibilities are endless and only tied to your own imagination and magic.” 

Ravio held his breath as he watched the Hylian concentrate. He could see Link clutching to the rod but something was wrong. His friend was furrowing his brows and there was a trembling to his arms. 

“Stop.” The word was out before he realized it but Ravio knew the dangers of careless magic. Blue snapped open in surprise and the merchant had been right - there was fear in those beautiful eyes. The Lolian once again crossed the distance and began to rub Link’s arms in a soothing matter. “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Link began to shake his head but stopped himself, seemingly rethinking his decision. After several heartbeats he finally looked away and started to sign, his shoulders raised in tension. 

_“I’m… I’m a bit scared of… water… In that Shrine of Resurrection, where I slept for 100 years… My body had been underwater for the whole time. When I woke up I thought I was drowning because the water wasn't lowered fast enough. It was my first memory and since then I’ve been trying to avoid it, I guess.”_ Their eyes met again and Link seemed to know what he was about to ask. _“Don’t get me wrong, I will jump into water if I need to, and I will ride a Zora’s back for it but… When I’m alone those memories creep up on me.”_

It was a reasonable reaction. Ravio nodded in thought and when he had a new idea, he moved to stand behind Link. He leaned close enough so he could whisper into his friend’s ear. 

“Let’s try something else. Close your eyes, Link.” There was a shiver but his friend did as he was told. Ravio silently counted to ten and once he was done, he began to run his fingers over the Hylian’s arms, his touch featherlight. Link jumped at the sudden feeling but Ravio was quick to hush him.

“When it comes to magic, there is always the beauty of abstractionism. If you don’t want to imagine water then we will imagine something similar. Just like the water down a stream our bodies can flow. Just like the rain falling from the sky our fingers can move over our skin.” He continued to run his fingers down Link’s arms, repeating the same motion over and over again. 

“Another character trait of water is its endless circle. It falls, it flows, it returns to the sky. No matter how chaotic your life currently is, think about whatever stays the same. You wake up every morning, you eat, you travel, and you sleep.”

His hand slowly wrapped around Link’s wrist and together they moved the rod from left to right. Nothing was happening yet but Ravio didn’t expect it to. The Hylian would need a bit more time to find something to hold onto. But he could get the other used to the movement. 

“I may not be a swordsman but I also know that there is a certain beauty in wielding a weapon. Imagine that the rod is a sword, or whatever weapon you enjoy using. Slice through the air, move around your enemy, dance the way you did in your fight against the Waterblight.”

Ravio took a few steps away from Link. He had told him three different methods and it was up to him now to find his preference. Watching his friend closely, the Lolian held his breath when the ice rod was finally moved. It was hesitant at first but Link was quickly growing confident in whatever he was imagining. At first he simply moved the rod but after a minute or two the first sparks of white appeared around the gem. Ravio had to bite his tongue in order to stop himself from celebrating. They weren’t done yet. 

Link continued wielding the rod until _finally_ it began to leave a trail of snowflakes. Ravio could see that the other’s eyes were wide open and he only grinned when their gazes met. 

“There you go, buddy!”

The concentration seemed to slip, however, and the ice dissolved as fast as it had appeared. Though it didn’t lessen either of their moods. Link was smiling brightly and he ran over to hug Ravio, almost throwing them off their feet.

“I knew you could do it!” He laughed and ruffled blond hair. “So? Which method did you focus on? Or was it something completely different?” But Link simply leaned back, acting as if he was locking his mouth and throwing the key away. 

“That’s not fair! I’m your teacher, you gotta tell me!” But Link only shook his head with a shit eating grin. Ravio tried to out glare his friend but gave up eventually. He sucked at those challenges anyways.

“Fine, keep your secrets then. As long as you found something to help you I guess it doesn’t matter.” 

Ravio began to walk away from Link and he tightened his hold on the fire rod when he pointed it at the other.

“The intensity of your attack is determined by your magic output and the emotion you’re feeling. You can compare it to your fighting again. In a simple spar you would be holding back but in a life and death situation? You would put your entire being into it. It’s the same with magic. Depending on how strong the memory or experience is you’re focusing on the stronger or weaker your attack. My tornado rod would be a good example.” He motioned over to where his bag was lying. “The emotion that is tied to my tornado rod is fear. I am terrified of heights. Ironic, I know, that my fear of air is connected to my air rod. But that’s why I chose to focus on that kind of experience for it. When I use my tornado rod I’m usually falling. And when I fall I experience a lot of stress and fear. The deeper my fall, the bigger my fear and the more powerful my tornado rod will become. When we jumped off the cliff I focused on just how high we were and that I didn’t want to die. And when I pushed us higher into the air? I simply focused on the few extra meters that would be added to the painful landing if I were to fall.” 

He shrugged and twirled the fire rod in his hand. “My fire rod is the opposite, basically. I focus on the warmth and love I have experienced. The happier the memory is that I’m focusing on the bigger and hotter the fire will be.” Ravio summoned the small flame from before so it resembled a lit torch. “This here, for example, is the happiness I felt when I helped a stranger and was thanked for it.” Smirking, Ravio pointed the fire rod into the sky as he shot several balls of heat into the air. “This is a memory of Hilda and me at the festival of the beast.”

Taking a deep breath, Ravio twirled the fire rod over his head before slamming it into the ground, creating a circle of symbols and words written in fire around himself. An enormous energy gathered at the very tip of the ruby and with a clean release it formed into a raging dragon that first circled his figure before flying off into the direction they had been coming from. It devoured any nature in its way before finally dissolving, leaving nothing but heat and smoke behind. He gasped for air and pulled the rod out of the ground before turning around to look at Link. Ravio was about to speak up but the sight that greeted him left him speechless.

Link was staring at him with an awe he had never seen before. There was pure admiration and fascination in those blue eyes but also something else. Pride. Link was proud of him. Ravio opened his mouth to say something but the heat that creeped up his face quickly shut him up. He awkwardly rubbed his neck and shrugged, kicking a small pebble away. 

“It’s… it’s not that impressive… And a dragon is so stereotypical and lame but…” 

Ravio looked up again only to find the same emotions in Link’s eyes. A foreign affection bloomed within his chest and he smiled shyly. “That was the memory of you accepting me for who I am.” 

He wasn’t sure why he had admitted that. Maybe because he could trust Link, maybe because he wanted the Hylian to know. Whatever it was, Ravio didn’t regret it when warm arms wrapped around his neck in order to pull him into a bear crushing hug. Link was burying his face in his neck and Ravio was silently glad that he could hide his flustered expression in his friend’s hair. 

Their shared moment, however, was interrupted when Ravio’s legs gave in. A painful pull tore at his stomach and for a second the whole world turned black. The next time he blinked his eyes open, the merchant found himself on the ground with Link kneeling next to him. His friend’s brows were furrowed in concern and Ravio wanted to tell him to stop looking so serious but all he could muster up was a whimper. A warm hand was holding his as another brushed a few sweaty strands of hair out of his eyes. He blinked the white spots away and smiled weakly. 

“And this, my dear student, is what happens when you use too much magic at once.” He whispered in an attempt to lighten the mood. Ravio tried to sit up but he was gently pushed down again. “Just… just give me a few moments…” 

_“Stop draining yourself so much. I thought I was supposed to be the reckless one.”_ Link tried to look disappointed but he couldn’t hide the blatant worry. The merchant squeezed the hand that was holding his. “Sorry, it’s just… you always look so awesome and heroic when you fight… I guess I wanted to show off a little. Prove to you that I also got a few useful skills.” 

Blue eyes softened and Link cupped his cheek, running his thumb over the cold skin.

_“You already are a hero in my eyes, Ravio. You don’t have to prove anything.”_

And in that moment Ravio believed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's fanart time again!
> 
> [We got a super adorable and affectionate RavioLi holding onto each other, drawn by trikstergodess.art on Insta!](https://www.instagram.com/p/CBxI_iCp-j6/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet)
> 
> [Here we got today's incredible fire rod scene drawn by mildlycuriousdragon!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/621726677249261568/a-hot-boy-from-todays-chapter-of)
> 
> [And last but not least a cursed drawing of Ravio's thought process from yesterday's chapter, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/621672993120288768/hey-farbsturz-thanks-for-giving-me-this-idea-in)
> 
>   
> So, this chapter... Boy, this chapter... It is definitely one of my favourite ones. Ravio being confident about his magic and teaching Link was something I had really wanted to write, however the biggest problem while writing this part was toning down their affection. This is already the lite version, I erased and rewrote countless of sentences to make it less romantic. The first version was advanced gay so I had to get rid of a lot of stuff. 
> 
> Basically... these two wrote themselves in this chapter and they wanted to be way more affectionate than they were supposed to be at this point. Love the plot of this chapter but damn it wasn't easy to get through this. Big shoutout to Sheerow for breaking them up when I was already banging my head on the table. And believe me when I say that this chapter messed my plans up. More on that in 2 days though.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	19. Run wild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio reach the next stable and Link goes out to explore a little.

Grunting under the extra weight, Link sighed in relief when the Foothill Stable finally came into view. He readjusted the arm around his neck, his other hand securing Ravio’s waist, and together they walked the last few minutes to their next resting spot. 

At first the merchant had complained about the extra support but after he had barely been able to keep himself up, Link hadn’t taken a no for an answer anymore. His friend had stupidly exhausted himself because of some insecurities and the Hylian hated how much he had related to Ravio’s words. If anyone knew what it felt like to be under constant pressure and expectations it was the two heroes. Ravio always went on and on about how he was worth less simply because he openly wore his fears on his sleeves but if Link had to be honest, he both admired and envied his friend. Overcoming one's own fears was a testament of courage and if he followed that train of thought then Ravio proved himself to be more of a hero than he had ever been. After all, the Lolian had even been marked by his Goddess while Link had woken up without any sign of Hylia even caring about him. But here he was, expected by everyone to save the world without so much as a complaint. After all, he had been given a second chance out of all the champions so he should be grateful for it.

Once close enough, Link helped his friend with his mask and hood. They entered the stable and the Hylian made it a point to ignore any weird glances as he helped Ravio lying down on a bed furthest away from the other travellers. He pulled out the necessary rupees and offered them to the stablekeeper before returning to the Lolian’s side. Sheerow had perched itself on top of the bed and chirped quietly when Link returned. 

“Stop worrying so much, Mr. Hero. A smile suits your face way better.” Ravio reached for his hand but Link could hear the quiet whimper that accompanied the action. He sent the other a pointed look but allowed Ravio to take his hand. “I’m an idiot and I did a stupid thing. But it’s not like I’m dying. I just need to recharge and sleep off the exhaustion. I will feel better after a little power nap. And you…” Link was pulled closer until their faces were inches apart. He missed seeing those green eyes but he knew he would see them again eventually.

“You will go out and explore. I’ve kept you on the correct path for way too long already and I know you are just itching to get lost around here.” Ravio smiled tiredly and nudged their noses together before pushing him away. “Don’t worry about me, Mr. Hero. Sheerow here will watch over me while I sleep.” The bird chirped in confirmation and hopped around a little bit. “Just be back before sunset or I will send Sheerow after your sorry ass.” The bird chirped again, this time a bit more threatening. 

Link had to admit that the idea of exploring sounded tempting. Since he had met Ravio he hadn’t strayed from the path and even though it had never bothered him, a small part of him did miss the wilderness of Hyrule. And here Ravio was, kind hearted and understanding Ravio, offering him what he hadn’t known he had been yearning for. 

_“I promise I will be back on time.”_

He squeezed the merchant’s hand one more time before leaving the stable, a deep breath allowing him to take in the nature around him. Link was embarrassed to admit it but he felt like a small excited child. With a smile on his lips he looked around and his eyes immediately landed on the Sheikah Tower towering above them all. 

A map would be useful for Ravio.

Seeing as how the tower was as good a beginning as anywhere else, Link began to walk into its direction. He was surrounded by a crown of mountains and cliffs, all towering high above him, waiting to be explored. Link was looking for the easiest route to start his little climbing adventure when the screams of a person caught his attention. Further ahead a young woman was screaming for help as a swarm of burning Keese attacked her. Link was running before he knew it and with an easy touch on his slate a two handed broadsword appeared in his hands. He tightened his hold on the weapon and the moment he was close enough he began to spin in a circle, killing most of the bat-like creatures in a matter of seconds. He dealt with the remaining monsters easily enough and adrenaline ran through his body as he sliced through a Keese before it could burn him. 

With a final swing of his weapon Link killed the last bat easily enough. The woman was kneeling just a few meters away, hands shielding her head from any damage. The Hylian kept a loose hold on his sword when he walked over and offered his hand with a gentle smile. The woman looked up, still trembling, but there was a spark in her eyes. A shiver ran down his spine but Link didn’t have time to think about it when the lady took his hand and got back up.

“Thank you so much. If it hadn’t been for you I would be dead by now…” Her voice was as sweet as honey but Link found himself already pulling his hand back. Sure, she looked like a simple traveller but he couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

“Say, you wouldn’t be called Link, by any chance? The Hero of Hyrule? Who wishes to defeat Lord Ganon?”

Her kind smile turned twisted and Link barely managed to dodge a scythe aimed right at his head. He jumped back, causing dust to blow up as the woman disappeared in a red smoke. 

“Death to the Hero!” that shrill voice screamed from behind him and Link blocked an incoming attack with his broadsword. The woman was wearing a completely new attire; a red bodysuit and a mask that displayed the symbol of the Sheikah but on its head. She didn’t give Link any breaks and continued to shower him in attacks, trying to find an opening to finally strike. The Hylian gritted his teeth as he was pushed back further and further, and when he finally went for a counterattack, the woman disappeared in the same smoke again. She was incredibly fast and agile. If he wanted to win, Link would have to switch tactics. 

Using the small break in between attacks, Link switched out his weapon for a shield and one-handed sword. He shifted his weight onto his heels and waited for her next attempt for his life. Link didn’t need to wait long and when she appeared behind his back this time, he was prepared. The hero turned on his heel and blocked the scythe with his shield, using her own strength against her as he broke through her guard, his sword coming down for an effective slice. The assassin screamed in rage and pain but Link didn’t let it get to him. It was the first time he had to actually fight a sentient being, a Hylian instead of a monster and while it was a sickening experience, he couldn’t allow it to cloud his judgement. 

Ravio was waiting for him back at the stable, and many more waited for him to defeat Ganon and rescue their princess. 

Link couldn’t afford to lose or show a sign of weakness.

The assassin's attacks became sluggish and even though she was still fast on her feet, Link was able to keep up with her. They exchanged blows and after several more hits the woman fell onto her knees, holding a nasty cut on her side. She snarled at him with venom but Link kept his expression carefully blank. Sheathing his sword, the Hylian glared at the woman before turning to leave. He wasn’t a killer and he wouldn’t let a crazy fanatic turn him into one.

“You think you’ve won? There are more! There will always be more! The Yiga Clan will find you and when they do, they will make sure that you suffer a long and painful death!” 

Link looked over his shoulder just in time to see the assassin biting down on something that caused her whole body to spasm before it disappeared one last time in a red smoke not unlike the demise of monsters. 

_Then let them come._

The climb towards the tower was a daring and long one. Link found himself needing to find several places where he could rest for a minute before continuing his steady ascend towards his destination. His muscles began to ache in that familiar way and he gritted his teeth when there were only a few meters left to climb. He could feel his body almost giving up, his stamina running out but with a silent cry he gathered his remaining strength to push himself off the wall in order to reach for the cliff. His nails dug into the stones on top but the Hylian managed to pull himself up the moment his legs finally gave in. Link rolled onto his back and simply stared into the afternoon sun as his chest heaved with his uneven breathing. A small smile tugged at his lips. 

He had missed this.

Link allowed himself a few minutes of simply existing before he pushed himself back up. The tower stood tall in front of him and after rubbing his hands together, the Hylian began his next climb. The synchronizing of the map was done quickly and Link walked around the watchpoint, taking in their surroundings.

Death Mountain stood tall just a few days of footwalk away. Link could make out the lava lakes and even feel the heat radiating off the dangerous landmark whenever the wind hit him right. It was an impressive sight but the volcano paled in the face of the giant creature that was slowly crawling over its mountainside. What looked similar to a lizard slowly climbed the volcano and Link could see boulders falling with the impact of its heavy steps. 

_This must be the Divine Beast of the north._

The idea of somehow getting into that thing without being burned alive or squeezed to death seemed like an almost impossible task. But then again Link was known to cheat death and Ravio was originally from a parallel world. Nowadays nothing was impossible. 

Jumping off the Sheikah Tower, Link used his glider to eventually catch his fall. A glance to the sky told him that most of the day had already passed and if he wanted to make it back before sunset, he would have to leave soon. The descent was a steep but steady one, it looked even enough to…

Link couldn’t help but grin in anticipation when he reached for his shield. After all, Ravio was pretty much his only impulse control and the merchant _did_ tell him to enjoy himself. Sure, he had only ever attempted to shield surf on grassland but technically dust and rocks should work as well, right? 

And if not, somebody surely should try it out. Just to make sure.

Tightening his hold on his shield, Link began to sprint down the cliff he was standing on. The stones underneath him gave away but it was still enough for him to keep himself upright. Once he was certain he had reached a good speed, the Hylian jumped high and placed the shield underneath his feet so that the next time he landed, he was sliding down the mountain. Link was quick to find his balance and he surfed down the rocky path back to the stable. With the wind in his hair and a wide grin on his face did he maneuver around bigger obstacles, never slowing down. His heartbeat was racing and when he approached a bigger looking rock, Link crouched down to get enough momentum. He slid over the rock and pushed himself into the air, flying for a hot second before grabbing his trusted glider. Link made sure to anchor his boots underneath his shield so as to not lose it while gliding down the hills. The air of the nearby hot springs gave him the necessary updraft he needed to cross most of the distance between the tower and the stable. 

However, the height he had been starting from had turned out to not be high enough and Link clicked his tongue in annoyance when he realized that he wouldn’t be able to make it back to the path. Instead, he was flying over the hot springs and based on the little height he had left, he would have to go for a swim. His stomach began to pull and turn but the Hylian simply bit his lip. He could see the ground through the clear water, the springs weren’t deep enough to drown. 

Link put his glider away once he was confident that the landing wouldn’t hurt him anymore. Seconds of weightlessness were interrupted by the impact with warm water and Link held his breath when he broke through the surface. As expected the Hylian quickly reached the ground and with one strong push did he rise back towards the setting sun. He gasped for air once back up and quickly swam towards the nearest edge. The water was a comfortable temperature and even though Link felt uneasy being surrounded by it, he couldn’t deny the way it seemingly helped his aching muscles relax. Whatever exhaustion the hero had felt prior to his landing was all but a forgotten memory and once he could stand within the hot spring, Link came to a stop.

A haze of warm air danced over the surface of the water and Link found himself breathing easier. He couldn’t remember where he had heard about it, but apparently hot springs had the ability to heal wounds and wash any tiredness away. A small voice whispered that he had never believed it but now that Link was actually standing in one, he knew that he couldn’t deny it. All tension had left his muscles.

Blue widened and Link looked towards the stable that was only a few minutes away. He quickly climbed out of the hot spring and jogged over to where his friend would be resting. If a hot spring could help with sore muscles, it surely could help with magical exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Here we got Ravio and Link adorably bantering about buying the vacant house, drawn by shirebeast!](https://shirebeast.tumblr.com/post/621737796744462337/he-felt-his-cheeks-heating-up-and-attempted-to)
> 
> [And here we got Ravio looking freaking done in his confrontation with Muzu, drawn by katbug313131!](https://katbug313131.tumblr.com/post/621772216481284097/the-venom-was-back-in-those-old-eyes-and-the-zora)
> 
>   
> I don't have much to say about this chapter. We have spent a lot of time with Ravio so far, so I wanted to give Link a chance to just be himself without a lot of dialogue. It was important to me that you guys get to see him at least once in his natural habitat without Ravio restricting him. This chapter isn't as exciting or affectionate as others but I hope it wasn't too much of a letdown.
> 
> After everything that has happened so far, out of these two, who do you think is going to take the next step in the relationship? Who is going to cross the bridge from friendship to something more? I'm curious what you guys think, especially after the magic lesson from yesterday.
> 
> Thank you for reading, as always!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	20. A tiny speck in a great, big world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio is being led to the hot spring and the two boys allow themselves to relax for a night.

Relief washed over him when Link finally walked into the stable. The sun was just about to set and the Lolian had started to grow anxious with each passing minute in which his friend hadn’t returned. Memories of Link’s beaten up body had haunted him and Ravio had tried hard to have faith in the other’s ability to defend himself. Though while Link was a more than capable fighter, he was also reckless and impulsive. Ravio could only guess that the biggest threat to his friend wasn’t a Lynel or even Ganon; it was he himself. 

Ravio lifted a hand in greeting but whimpered when the nausea from before seethed just below the surface. His muscles hurt and the dull headache didn’t help his case either. 

“I was already starting to get worried, Mr. Hero. Thought you might have wandered off to fight a Knucklemaster for that little bit of adrenaline.”

The Lolian furrowed his brows when Link remained quiet, a simple shake of his head indicating that he was at least listening. His friend walked over to his bed but instead of sitting down, he offered his hand to the merchant. Ravio studied the Hylian suspiciously but finally took the offer as he allowed Link to help him onto his feet. The hero began to lead him away but Ravio was quick to stop him.

“Sheerow, please watch over my stuff, okay? I promise we will be back soon.”

His trusted companion chirped in agreement and Ravio grinned as the little bird flew over to his stuff and settled down. They left the stable together and Link intertwined their fingers, obviously not planning on telling him what was going on any time soon. 

“Link are you… are you soaked wet? Did you go for a swim?” 

It was in the light of the setting sun that he finally noticed the drenched clothes and wet hair sticking to his friend’s neck and face. Ravio only furrowed his brows. Just what in Nayru’s name had Link been up to?

They walked in silence for a few minutes and Ravio found the exhaustion catching up to him again. His legs grew heavier with each step and the headache performed a drumming concert behind his eyes. It was only when he groaned and reached up to rub his temple that Link slowed down, allowing the two of them to walk at Ravio’s pace. The merchant wished he was back in the warm and comfy bed but it wasn’t every day that Link wanted to show him something. So he pushed through the pain.

The two travellers walked off the path and after another moment Ravio found himself standing in front of what he guessed was a hot spring. Mist was dancing over the warm water and the Hylian let go of his hand, confirming that they had reached their destination. 

_“I found these while exploring. They are hot springs and they help with pain and wounds. I thought maybe they would help you feel better.”_

Looking up, Ravio saw a hesitant smile on his friend’s lips. Link seemed a bit uneasy but the merchant only felt his heart jump at the sweet gesture. He couldn’t believe that Link had thought of him even while exploring. 

“Link, I…” Ravio swallowed around the lump in his throat and promised himself not to cry. His hands opened and closed, and he finally faced his friend as he put his whole affection into the next two words. 

“Thank you.”

In the right light it almost looked like his friend was blushing but Link quickly looked away as he began to take off his shoes, tunic, and slate. Ravio hesitantly undressed as well and removed his scarf, mask, and his own tunic. Lastly his boots followed and the friends were left in only their pants. The Lolian had never swum in a hot spring but if Link had gone through the trouble of taking him here, he could only look forward to it. It would be yet another shared memory with the Hero of Hyrule.

They hid their belongings between a few rocks and finally climbed into the water. Ravio had expected it to be burning hot but it was just the perfect temperature and the moment his whole body was covered in warmth he couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Link had been right, he could feel the heat slowly easing the tension out of his muscles and Ravio turned onto his back, his eyes closed. The headache lost its intensity and while it wasn’t fully gone, it was much more bearable. 

A featherlight touch on his arm pulled him back into the present and Link was right there next to him, his blue eyes shining with affection and pride. Ravio grinned from ear to ear as he wrapped his arms around his friend’s neck and a pleasant shiver tore through his body as arms instinctively wrapped around his waist. 

“I wasn’t sure where you would be taking me but this is amazing. Who would have known that a place like _Death Mountain_ could offer anything but death, heat, and sweaty clothes.”

They held each other in the water and Link’s colder fingers were a nice contrast to the heat around them. He allowed his hands to move and began to massage Link’s neck. 

“And you are sure you're alright? After what you have told me today I don’t want you to force yourself into the water because of me. You can sit down at the edge if that’s more comfortable.” Ravio wanted to enjoy this evening but he wouldn’t allow Link to put himself into a situation he would rather not be in. No matter how nice the water felt, his friend’s well-being was a thousand times more important. But Link simply shook his head. 

_“I’m okay. It’s not deep and you are here with me.”_

And there it was again - that unconditional trust that the Hylian had in him. Ravio wasn’t used to people actually relying on him but Link’s friendship and devotion had changed his outlook on life. 

“Yeah… I guess I am.” 

They swam through the hot spring for a little bit, splashed water at each other and laughed with a carefreeness he hadn’t felt often. Even though the sun had been gone for a while now, the nearby lakes of lava provided more than enough light for them to see each other.

“So what did you do on your little adventure?” Ravio asked, slightly out of breath after their little escapade. They had swum over to a more secluded area and Ravio had crossed his arms on the edge of the hot spring, his head resting on top. Link was leaning next to him, gazing into the night sky. 

_“I activated the next Sheikah Tower, got into a fight and went shield surfing. You know, boring stuff.”_

“A fight?” Ravio repeated and he furrowed his brows at Link, trying to send him his best disapproving look. Link shrugged his shoulders and waved it off. 

_“I’m fine, aren’t I? I promise it wasn’t a Lynel this time.”_

“Wow, you really are looking out for yourself then.” Ravio replied just as sarcastic but he pushed himself off the edge in order to move over to his friend, wanting to check for any wounds. The water barely reached their stomachs and the merchant leaned close enough to see the moonlight being reflected in gorgeous blue. His hands were slightly trembling when he cupped the Hylian’s cheeks but Link placed his own on top of his in silent encouragement. Ravio took his time simply admiring the beauty of the Hylian. 

Link was beautiful in ways Ravio had never realized before. His nose was just a little rounder, his lips shaped in a way only a paintbrush could pull off. The Hylian’s face wasn’t covered in freckles like his own but if you got close enough you could make out a handful of dots here and there, probably from the time he had spent in the pure sun. But those eyes… they never ceased to pull Ravio back into their spell. He was drawn to the rare color but most of all he could lose himself in the countless emotions his friend seemingly expressed with them. Whereas Link was mute, his eyes spoke of tales and stories the merchant could never hope to fully understand. Ravio had always felt like he had been lacking in several departments but Link completed him. The Hylian would take on the role of a fighter or comforter, his hands would be gentle or strong. He embodied everything Ravio had always wanted to be and yet he allowed the Lolian to feel comfortable in his own skin. He was the missing piece to him.

A hand on his chest gently pushed him away and Ravio complied without thinking. A voice in the back of his head told him that Link could ask him for anything and he would try his hardest to fulfill his friend’s wish. It was a devotion he hadn’t noticed before but Ravio found himself not minding. Link was giving him so much on their journey, he would return the kindness in a heartbeat. 

As Link led him through the hot spring, Ravio couldn’t help but focus on the contact between the two of them. It was almost unthinkable that before Hyrule he would have avoided physical contact at any cost. The Lolian’s anxiety had always spiked in the presence of others and no matter how much he had loved Hilda, even she had had trouble holding him without problem. Maybe it had been because of the impersonal way he had been raised, surrounded by adults and scholars who had only ever seen him for who he was supposed to embody and not for who he truly had been. To everyone in Lorule he had been the aspiring new hero when in reality he had been but a lonely child locked within royal walls. 

But Link? Link saw his true self. Be it a dorky merchant, an anxious hero, or just an overdramatic traveller. Ravio didn’t have any expectations to live up to, he could just be himself with all his flaws. No matter his actions, Link wouldn’t judge him. Ravio had come to Hyrule to support the hero when in reality it was the Hylian who supported him. 

His back was pushed against a rock and Ravio shivered at the sudden contrast in temperature. The moonlight shone onto the water around them and Link placed his arms on either side of the Lolian, preventing him from escaping. Not like he would even want to. Ravio watched in silence as water drops found their way down Link’s neck and chest. They were standing close enough for the merchant to feel his friend’s breath on his cheek and he shuddered. His heart hammered within his chest and Ravio licked his dry lips.

He wasn’t a fool. He knew exactly why his body reacted the way it did. The nervousness, the anticipation, the fear. Ravio had never felt it before but the warmth bubbling within him could only lead to one realization. 

He had fallen for Link.

It was a thought that almost caused him to laugh out loud. It should sound ridiculous but too many pieces fell into place. And somehow, Ravio didn’t mind it at all. It was an inspiring emotion, one that he wanted to chase until the end of the world. Ravio, Hero of Lorule, had fallen for the hylian Link.

Link slowly moved his hands towards the merchant's cheeks, thumbs brushing droplets of water away. He was leaning closer until their noses touched and the Lolian held his breath. Ravio was hyper aware of their closeness and didn’t know whether he should close the distance or not.

“You know… Whenever I used to simply lounge around in Lorule… I would think about how I was a tiny speck in a great, big world… And I still believe that I am just a teeny, tiny, little speck in a world that’s so much bigger than I ever thought…” The words were barely a whisper as he breathed them onto Link’s lips. “But even a speck can change the world if he puts his heart into it… It’s thanks to you that I realized this.”

Ravio didn’t resist when Link kissed him. 

It was featherlight, barely there but Ravio could have cried all the same. He wrapped his arms around the Hylian’s neck and buried his fingers in blond hair, preventing his friend from pulling away. His actions seemed to be permission enough because Link chuckled softly and Ravio could feel the smile against his lips. Eyes closed, he impatiently waited for Link to kiss him again and his wish was finally granted. 

It was a clumsy kiss though Ravio wouldn’t want it any other way. They were both inexperienced and nervous but it only added to the charm. Besides, it felt like heaven to finally be so close, to finally cross the bridge they had been dancing around for who knew how long. The happiness and relief he felt bubbled over and Ravio had to break away to laugh. Link was smiling against him but they rested their foreheads together, not wanting to separate just yet. He opened his eyes to find blue watching him and Ravio grinned toothily. 

“Hey.” he whispered against perfect lips and Link only snorted in reply. 

Goddess, this guy would be the end of him.

They simply held each other, bathing in the company and feelings of happiness. Ravio had to stop himself from simply screaming. He felt like he would explode at any given moment and the gentle smiles he would be given only added fuel to the fire. Finally deciding that he had had enough, Ravio wrapped his arms around Link’s waist and lifted him up, spinning him around. The Hylian quickly clung to his shoulders and stared with wide eyes but a silent laughter was Ravio’s award. He was grinning widely yet yelled when he slipped up, falling into the water and dragging his friend with him. They resurfaced quickly enough and Ravio brushed the wet hair out of his face only to see Link glaring at him. He was about to speak up when hands returned to his face, pulling him into yet another kiss. Ravio melted into the touch and sighed once they parted. There was a smirk on Link’s face even when his neck was a bright red from embarrassment.

_“I finally found a way to shut you up for less than 500 rupees.”_

Blinking dumbfoundedly, the Lolian laughed. 

“Yeah… I guess you can silence me now.” 

And this time it was Ravio who initiated the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the consequences of chapter 18. As I had stated in the magic lesson author's note, their affection influenced a following chapter. This one, to be exact. Initially I had planned for them to get closer /after/ the second divine beast. However, while writing the scene of Ravio teaching Link magic I realized that there was no way I could keep them platonic for any longer. 
> 
> I know we are 50k words into this story but I'm still afraid that they went too quick. If you think like that then I would like to apologize, if not then please enjoy the boys finally crossing the line. Now that they have taken the next step in their relationship you guys can expect even more fluff and affection in the future. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	21. Back on track

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio enjoy a lazy morning together and continue their journey to Goron City.

It was late at night when the travellers made their way back to the stable. They were carrying most of their clothes as Ravio had only bothered to put his scarf and mask back on. The Lolian was walking with an energy to his step that Link could only mirror. Thousands of butterflies fluttered within his chest whenever the merchant would smile at him and it had only been thanks to the little self control he had still possessed that they had even gotten out of the water. All Link wanted to do was stare into green eyes and forget about the world around them. This was the happiest he had ever been and Link was sure that nothing in his forgotten past could even hope to compete. 

Ravio so much as collapsed onto his bed the moment they had returned. Link smiled softly and as he put his clothes down next to the merchant’s bag, Sheerow chirped a quiet welcome. It was still a mystery to him how the little bird and Ravio could understand each other but Link was sure that with enough time he too would learn the creature’s passive language. 

Taking Ravio’s clothes that he had carelessly thrown to a side, Link refolded them and put them away as well. He noticed his friend watching him and the Hylian raised a brow in question. Blue watched in amusement as Ravio wiggled underneath the blankets before holding the side up in a clear offer. 

_“Is that even allowed? Two people sharing one bed?”_

Ravio’s smile sparked with mischievousness and Link already knew that he had lost this battle. 

“As an aspiring merchant I should at least try to scam somebody once in my life. Just to see what it’s like, you know?” 

Feeling too tired to argue against it, Link slipped into the bed next to his friend. They laid face to face and even though Ravio was still wearing his mask, the Hylian could imagine what those green eyes looked like underneath. He reached out and traced the drawn lines with his fingers until his hand was gently taken away. Link watched with curiosity as the Lolian bit his lip, seemingly contemplating something before removing his mask all together. He put it underneath their shared pillow and once he was done, Ravio leaned close enough for their noses to touch. 

It might seem like a little gesture but to Link it meant everything. Ravio, who had always preferred to hide himself from the world and play a role, was leaving himself open and exposed simply so Link could look at him. Such a small action held so much trust and loyalty that the Hylian struggled to breathe for a moment. 

In the dim light of the lit candles it was difficult to make out every feature Link knew to be there. He had quickly come to love Ravio’s green eyes which reminded him of the beauty of the wilderness around them. They were the color of an unexplored forest and Link could lose himself for hours just by staring into them, trying to find every secret hidden behind those little specks of green. Then there were the freckles that decorated Ravio’s tanned skin, turning him into a living nightsky. The Hylian wondered whether he could connect the endless dots into figures he had seen in the nights he had been all by himself. His eyes wandered down towards his favourite aspect of his friend’s face. His mouth. Maybe it was because it had been the only feature Link had seen for a long time but no matter what, he would always find his gaze drifting back towards rosy lips that would curve into smiles or pouts alike. Ravio loved to talk and Link loved to listen, loved to simply watch whenever the Lolian would start a ridiculous story he had clearly made up. There were so many emotions hidden in his voice and Link had come to wonder whether his own voice would have sounded similar. Though even if it had, the Hylian knew he would have never reached the level of melodic speaking that his friend possessed. Ravio had a singing voice unlike any he had ever heard. Sure, Link was good at wielding a sword but there was something about Ravio that he admired. Somebody as well spoken as the advisor and right hand man of a princess must have experienced so many conflicts and resolved even more with nothing but his voice. 

The hero had always thought of a sword as a responsibility rather than a gift. It was created to hurt and kill, it ended wars through violence and ultimacy. But words had the power to prevent any pain. It was Link’s job to end fights but Ravio was somebody who could stop them from happening in the first place. He was the pacifist Link couldn’t afford to be. In a way, he guessed, they completed each other. Ravio represented the alternatives he had failed to see before. And Link would be lying if he wasn’t envious just a tiny bit. The Lolian wore his insecurities on his sleeves, he expressed his fears and happiness in the same breath. What his friend considered a weakness, the Hylian saw as one of his strongest traits. Link had always buried his pain deep down, kept his doubts about his role and place in this world a tightlipped secret.

Maybe Ravio could be the person he could finally open up to. He hoped so.

A wave of affection washed over him and Link wrapped an arm around Ravio’s waist as he hid his face in the other’s neck. He could feel the merchant’s chest shake in a silent chuckle and decided to close his eyes when an arm wrapped around his shoulder to simply hold him. All Link could hear were their rhythmic heartbeats and the calm breathing of the person he valued above anyone else. 

And in that moment they were just a simple merchant and adventurer, holding each other in the silence of their dreams. 

Nothing more, nothing less.

* * *

Waking up to a tickling feeling in his nose, Link blinked a few times to shake off the remaining sleepiness. It was probably early in the morning and after a second or two of taking in the situation, the Hylian found raven black hair to be the culprit of the tickles. Ravio had intertwined their legs throughout the night and he was snoring softly, revealing the adorable tooth gap through slightly parted lips. The blanket had fallen off their bodies but Link was quick to find out with a hint of amusement that the Lolian worked as a heater just fine. He guessed it was connected to that thick scarf his friend always insisted on wearing. 

Pushing himself onto his elbow, Link rested his head on his hand and simply watched. It was a peaceful moment and the Hylian couldn’t stop himself from brushing a few strands of dark hair away. Ravio mumbled something unintelligible and stirred, tired eyes fluttering open. 

Link wanted to sign an apology but the merchant’s sleepy smile was enough to shut him up. Ravio hummed lowly and tightened the arm that was still wrapped around Link’s waist, pulling them chest to chest as eyes fluttered close again.

“Mernin, Mr. Hero…” The Lolian mumbled with a rough sounding voice and Link shivered at the low tone. Green cracked open in amusement though the Hylian was quick to shove Ravio’s face away when heat creeped up his neck. 

_“You are the worst.”_ He signed, trying hard to look angry.

“And here I thought I was your favourite. You wound me, Mr. Hero.” Ravio pouted and Link swore the other tried to puppy eyes him. The arms around his waist tightened and in a swift motion the Lolian moved them both, placing Link on top of his chest. Blinking owlishly, Link adjusted to his new position and he looked down at his friend, his head cocked. 

“After such a hurtful comment I believe an apology is necessary.” There was an innocent smile on those rosy lips but Link didn’t trust it for a second. “How about you kiss it better? I take one kiss per insult and I do not negotiate the prices I offer.” 

Snorting, Link flicked Ravio’s forehead with his fingers. The merchant cried out in protest but before he could complain, Link already kissed him. It was a lazy kiss though he sighed when cold fingers ended up in his hair. They separated again and Link saw that genuine smile he loved so much.

“I knew you would find the fair price to be to your liking, Mr. Hero. I only offer the best goods, after all.” 

Though Link wanted to enjoy the moment some more, he couldn’t help but pull his nose up as he furrowed his brows. Before the other could even think about speaking up, Link had already placed his hand over Ravio’s mouth. 

_“Your breath smells.”_ He signed slowly and a disgusted sound left his throat when he felt something wet lick his hand. Link pulled away quickly and grimaced before wiping his hand off the other’s chest.

_“Real mature.”_ The Hylian signed with a deadpan expression that didn’t seem to faze Ravio. 

“Thank you, it’s part of my charm.” 

The hand in his hair lightly pushed him down and after a moment Link allowed himself to be led towards waiting lips. It was just a quick peck but worth it all the same.

To think that he would be able to experience this happiness whenever he wanted… Maybe Hylia hadn’t abandoned him after all.

It took the two boys a couple more minutes until they were fully awake. Link quickly learned that Ravio was as cuddly as an octopus and wiggling out of the hold was harder than expected. He had known that Ravio usually preferred to sleep in but once he had been assigned the role of a cuddly pillow, Link regretted sharing a bed with his friend. 

Once fully dressed and stuffed, the two travellers left the stable. A girl was waiting just outside and sold them several fireproof elixirs before they could begin their next journey towards the volcano. Reaching the edges of the mountain, Link immediately felt the heat press down onto his body. The air was burning hot and drops of sweat clung to his forehead and collar. 

_“Guess it’s time to drink the elixirs.”_ The Hylian signed with a small sigh. No matter how useful those elixirs were, they tasted exactly like what they were made of. Ravio seemingly shared his thought because he looked less than thrilled when he pulled the cork off the bottle. They lifted it to their lips and the merchant mumbled a quiet “Cheers” before downing it in one go. 

Link coughed violently as he desperately tried to keep the substance down. He could taste the Bokoblin Guts and the aroma of the Lizards only added to the nausea. Sticking out his tongue, the adventurer pulled his nose up in disgust. 

_“I’ll never get used to this.”_

Ravio snorted next to him, struggling just as much. “I don’t _want_ to get used to this…” 

The two friends continued their ascend around the volcano. The path was clear enough to follow and even though they saw a few Keese here and there, the route remained mostly uneventful.

“You know…” Ravio started as they walked through a gateway of rocks “Maybe you could experiment with those elixirs one day. After all, you’re a better cook than the private chefs Hilda used to have. If anyone could sweeten this experience it would be you.” 

It was a… tempting challenge, to say the least. Link had never thought about it but if he were to collect enough berries and strong tasting ingredients, maybe he could actually improve them? It was definitely worth a try.

_“You like my cooking?”_ Link asked instead. There was pride swelling up within his chest. He had never been acknowledged for anything beside his hero persona so he hadn’t expected anyone to even care about that little skill of his.

“Are you kidding me? You’re incredible at it! If eventually you don’t want to travel anymore you should definitely open up your own little food place. You could order fish from the Zora’s Domain or get some vegetables from Kakariko and turn it into a 100 rupees special. I sure am lucky that you basically feed me for free.” Ravio was grinning from ear to ear, heat seemingly forgotten as he started one of his famous ramblings. “Believe me, I have eaten at countless political meetings and no one can reach your level of talent. Like, those snobby chefs always thought of themselves as so great and they would only use a handful of selected ingredients but most of the time it tasted like shit. I don’t want to eat a crab that has been raised by the royal crab keepers or whatever, it tastes way better when your supplies are fresh and personally picked.”

A brilliant smile was resting on the Lolian’s lips and Link couldn’t help but take a sweaty hand into his own. He squeezed it, not knowing how else to express his gratitude but Ravio seemed to understand. Just like he always did. 

They reached the Southern Mine around afternoon. The heat had drenched their clothes in sweat and they had already downed two other fireproof elixirs when they finally decided to take a break in the little settlement. The Gorons were more than welcoming and seeing Ravio’s childlike excitement about a race he hadn’t met before definitely made up for the unbearable temperatures they had to endure.

“What do you mean you only eat rocks?” Ravio asked with disbelief as he continued his conversation with a friendly Goron called Greyson. 

“I mean what I said.” The Goron laughed wholeheartedly. A hand came down to pat Ravio’s shoulder and Link spat out the water he was drinking when his friend was knocked off his sitting place by the impact. He was coughing heavily but the hilarious death glare on his friend’s face was more than worth it. However, the fun was gone the moment Greyson came over to him to hit his back in what he probably thought was an attempt to help. To Link’s credit he neither fell over nor whimpered but he knew his back would have a new bruise at the end of the day. 

Ravio smiled smugly. 

They stayed until Link had mixed them two new elixirs and once their goodbyes had been said, the travellers continued their route down anguish lane. 

“If we survive this I will never ever make fun of the lava game again. I can see now why kids wouldn’t want to stand on a floor that’s on fire.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [here we got an incredible looking Ravio with a cool hammer as weapon, drawn by trikstergodess!](https://trikstergodess.tumblr.com/post/621917973943304192/i-drew-some-fanart-for-farbsturz-s-fic-nothing)
> 
> After Naydra, Hateno, a magic lesson, and the hot springs it's about time we return to the main quest at hand. So this chapter officially starts the Goron Arc! I'm looking forward to tomorrow's chapter because it's a fun one. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	22. Path to glory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link finally reach their next destination but before they can do anything, they first need to prove themselves.

Reaching Goron City was like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert. Whatever exhaustion the two had felt was washed away the moment the rocky town appeared at the horizon and Ravio’s cheer of victory was greeted by silence and a few odd stares. Not like he cared, he was too happy to be done with that awfully long trip.

“Finally.” Ravio whined as he stretched his sore muscles. “I already feared we would die before making it to the world-famous Death Mountain. Would have been a pity if we didn’t get a chance of beating that lizard’s butt after going through all that trouble.” He used his tunic to dry his face off any sweat as green glared up towards the monstrosity that climbed around the volcano. It had once been a majestic beast but all the Lolian could see was a critter that needed to be taken down. 

Link’s slate pointed them towards the inn but before they could relax for the rest of the evening, the Hylian first wanted to speak to the rock in charge of this place. The idea of a bed was tempting but Ravio knew that they hadn’t come here for a vacation. The sooner they took down the Divine Beast, the sooner they would be able to leave. 

The two travellers approached an old and bulky looking Goron who was standing in the center of the plaza, though before either of them could say something, the Goron already spoke up with a booming voice and a distinctive rage in his flailing arms.

“Drat! That blasted Rudania!”

Ravio flinched back and automatically moved behind his friend. He noticed that the Hylian’s shoulders were tense as well but nothing else hinted at his masked uneasiness. If only Ravio could hold his ground like that. Link was glancing over his shoulder and the Lolian forced himself to relax. 

“Excuse me, Mr. Rock, Sir. What’s the problem?” He spoke up from behind the hero and a sweaty hand intertwined fingers with his own. 

Right, there was no need to worry, he wasn’t alone. 

The Goron turned to look at them and Ravio first noticed the metal eyepatch hiding the left eye. The rock man was wearing accessories made from all kinds of metal and judging by the appearance alone he was most likely the one they had been looking for.

“Death Mountain’s eruptions have gotten real bad with Rudania runnin’ all wild! Ya see Rudania stompin’ around up there?”

Ravio bit back the comment that a giant artificial lizard was difficult to miss.

“They say that a century ago, it actually used to protect our people from harm… hah! That was then, and this is now! All this damn thing does is mess up our mining operations! We’re suffering because it’s stoppin' us from doin’ our damn business! We chased it off so many times but it always comes back! Argh!”

The Goron’s rant came to a sudden stop when he reached for his back and the pain in his face said more than enough. Whoever this guy was, he wasn’t in his prime time anymore. 

“Who are you two anyway?” the Goron grumbled and Ravio knew that it was his time to shine.

“Glad you’re asking, my friend! We are but humble travellers who have come to pay their respect to the famous Death Mountain! But alas it seems like you have a little problem going on here, hm?”

The rock guy studied the two of them before nodding. “I see, paying your respect, huh? I already like you, brothers! My name’s Bludo and I’m the great Goron Boss who’s so fearsome he could silence a crying child!” 

Once again Ravio had enough sense of self control not to point out that if anything, he would probably cause a silent child to cry, not the other way around.

“I was plannin’ to drive off Rudania like I always do, but this blasted pain in my back flared up outta nowhere…”

Exchanging glances, Ravio felt proud when Link lightly nudged his side. The hero trusted him to tackle this subject and was encouraging him to step forward and do what he was best at. Charm his way into people’s hearts. 

“Maybe, Boss Bludo, we can be of help?” Ravio gestured towards himself and the Hylian. He felt exposed without his hood and mask on but the Lolian would rather feel uncomfortable than get a heatstroke from wearing those accessories. “My friend Link and I have a little bit of experience when it comes to Divine Beasts. You see, my companion already calmed Vah Ruta down. I’m confident we can help... Rudania, you called it? Just leave it to us and that oversized lizard won’t be a problem any longer!” 

Bludo eyed them with disbelief and Ravio tried to keep up the promising smile. 

“You two? I’m sorry, brothers, but you are only sticks! You wouldn’t even make it up the mountain before fallin’ like a leaf in the wind! Go back to your grasslands, we Gorons can deal with this just fine!”

It was a good thing that Ravio wasn’t an aspiring merchant who took ‘no’ as an answer. “I know we might not seem like much but I can assure you that Link is more than capable of handling himself! He may look like a weak beanpole but those little arms are hiding a strength you couldn’t possibly imagine!” He moved his arms widely and a sudden idea hit him. With a sly smirk, Ravio moved behind his friend again, running his hands over the other’s arms and muscles. “Don’t believe me? How about a little contest. Choose a Goron of your choice and Link here will defeat him in a 1v1 wrestling match!”

Both the Goron Boss and Link looked at him as if he had lost his mind, the latter with more fury than the former. Tense seconds passed until Bludo began to laugh loudly and he patted Ravio’s shoulder, forcing all the air out of his lungs.

“Now you’re speakin’ my language, brother! What a great idea, we will do that! If your friend can prove to us that he can hold himself against a Goron then I will let you climb Death Mountain!” 

The elderly Goron began to call for his brothers and excitedly told them all about their freshly made bet. Ravio watched nervously when several strong looking rock guys offered themselves as contestants though before he had the chance to listen in on their opponent’s strategy, a strong hand tore him away from the masses and into a secluded area. He was shoved against the side of a stoney hut and Link glared at him with an intensity that left no room for jokes. This time he was serious.

_“What in Din’s name were you thinking?!”_ Link signed with more force than necessary. Ravio could tell that he might have messed up a little. 

_“Have you seen them?! There is no possible way I could win with brute force! They will destroy me!”_ Blue eyes were sparkling with anger but the merchant could see the hidden fear behind the carefully placed wrath. Link was scared and insecure. 

The merchant could recognize these emotions anywhere. 

Moving slowly, Ravio flinched when he reached for the other’s hands only for Link to pull away. Instead, the Lolian decided to raise his arms in surrender.

“I know my actions may seem reckless but I promise you I got a plan, Link. Please believe me when I say I wouldn’t send you into a fight you couldn’t possibly win. I am the last person who wants to see you get hurt.” Trying to prove his point, Ravio put all his affection and love into the following words. He looked at Link with pleading eyes, silently begging him to listen.

“I told you I would have your back. Trust me.”

The Hylian studied him, still mistrusting his judgement but when Ravio was offered a sweaty hand, he took it without hesitation. The merchant reached for Link’s neck and pulled him closer until their foreheads touched. They were exhausted, sweaty, and they smelled like shit but Ravio still nudged his friend’s nose in a silent question. When Link nodded, the Lolian kissed him, putting his entire being into the gesture.

“Trust me.” he repeated into the kiss and the answer was a squeeze of his hand.

* * *

Fiddling around with the hem of his tunic, Ravio took a deep breath as he stood in the wrestling ring that had been created just for this occasion. As requested, the arena had been filled with sand after Ravio had pointed out that a Hylian’s delicate feet wouldn’t be able to endure the heat of the burning ground. Gorons had gathered in masses around the 20ft big circle and the merchant stood on the rope that marked the middle. 

In Lorule Ravio had only ever heard of illegal fighting rings in which different races would face each other for glory and rupees. The Lolian had never seen the appeal in this unnecessary violence but to many it had been a simple sport like any other. Now here he was, preparing himself to indulge every spectator in the fighting he had used to condemn.

“Rocks and gems! It is my utmost pleasure to welcome you to the very first interracial wrestling contest! I’m sure you are just as excited as I am!” Spreading his arms out, Ravio twirled around, a wide grin on his lips. The Flamebreaker Boots made it difficult to walk but he preferred these disadvantages over chucking down dozens of elixirs.

“I hope you all remembered to bet on your favourite contestant, and don’t think I didn’t see the overwhelming support for your very own champion! Let’s find out whether you all bet on the winner, shall we?!”

The crowd cheered and just for a moment Ravio allowed himself to bathe in the overwhelming attention and excitement around him. Sure, the Gorons weren’t the smartest race but they made up for it with efficiency and raw power. It was easy to motivate these spectators and adrenaline rushed through his body. 

“Can I get some applause for the native champion, the trusted Goron who runs the grilling joint and who knows how to handle the heat with ease! Give it up for Aji!”

The crowd went wild when Aji entered the ring. He was a Goron with short blond hair tied back. The contestant waved his arms in greeting and Ravio shook his hand, ignoring the way his fingers were being squashed.

“Here he is, the rock of your choice! But now let’s meet his opponent, the brave and fearless Hylian who has dared to rise up to the challenge no one else has ever tried! He has travelled far and wide, has conquered the coldest peaks and fought his way through the Domain of the Zoras! And above all else he is my trusted companion, the adventurer Link!”

To say Link looked breathtaking was probably an understatement but then again Ravio had every right to be biased. His friend was barefoot and wore his worn pants but other than that he was shirtless, his long bangs held back by a red bandana. Sweat was clinging to his body and his expression revealed not a single hint of doubt as he looked around the ring with determination. Less Gorons were cheering now but that was okay. The more they underestimated Link, the better for them. The Hylian came to a stop and Ravio shook his hand like he had done with Aji. And if they held onto each other for just a second longer, well, nobody noticed it. 

The Goron Boss finally entered the ring and Ravio bowed down before leaving the stage to leave the rest to the self acclaimed referee. Blue eyes looked over to him and the merchant could do nothing but smile reassuringly as he disappeared into the crowd. No one was paying him any attention and Ravio easily slipped between the taller Gorons until he found a nice boulder to stand on. The merchant rummaged through his bag and pulled out the item he had put his faith in.

The sand rod. 

Ravio had never used it much. After all, there was no desert in Lorule and when he had tried to think back to the reason as to why he had decided to create one in the first place he had ended up with empty hands. The Lolian had never questioned the odd urge to create it but now, as he looked over to Link, he wondered whether Lolia had known about any of this.

It was an oddly reassuring thought.

Ravio thanked the three Goddesses that Hyrule was lacking in magic and that Gorons weren’t the brightest gems among the different races. As long as he would keep his movements to the minimum no one should notice anything suspicious.

Bludo finished his own speech and ordered the two contestants to take position. They were standing across from each other in the middle of the circle and Ravio noticed how Link wiggled his feet until they were completely covered in sand. It was such a small action and anybody else would have thought that he was simply looking for some solid footing. 

But Ravio knew better. 

Tightening his hold on the rod, the Lolian focused on his convictions as magic began to flow into the item. He moved the tool in small circles and watched as the sand around Link’s feet began to wrap around his ankles before becoming solid. If the walls created by his sand rod could hold up even the heaviest statues he didn’t doubt his creation could withstand the strength of a Goron.

Bludo finally gave the signal and Aji didn’t waste a second before he tackled Link. He could see his friend gritting his teeth when their hands collided but to the surprise of everyone, Link managed to hold his own. No matter how much Aji pushed, the Hylian wouldn’t budge at all. The crowd gasped and after a moment of hesitation they went crazy with their cheering. No one had expected Link to even survive a moment inside the ring but here he was, proving everyone wrong.

Even if he did have a little bit of help.

Grinning widely, Ravio knew that the difficult part was only starting. At home he had never tried to control two different masses at the same time but the Lolian hadn’t spent the whole last night practicing just to fail his friend now. Moving the rod again, Ravio began to concentrate his magic into two different directions. On the one hand he moved the sand underneath Aji’s feet to make him lose his balance, while on the other hand he had to harmonically move the ground alongside Link’s steps as to give him the necessary footing he needed to push forward. Like a conductor Ravio moved his arms, allowing his magic to flow into two different tasks at the same time. His left hand faintly pulsated alongside his breathing and the merchant was actually thankful for the added concentration the Triforce provided. He hadn’t expected the triangle to support his scam attempt but maybe it was simply rewarding his wisdom. Whatever its reasoning was, Ravio was glad for the extra help. 

The two contestants moved at a snail's pace but it became more and more apparent who had the upperhand in this match. With each step Aji was forced to take back Link would push forward and after a minute or two they were fighting just at the edge of the ring. With a silent scream Link put his last strength into his arms and this time Ravio didn’t order the sand to move alongside him. It was the Hylian alone who shoved the Goron outside the ring and surprised silence covered the stunned crowd.

The Goron Boss himself stood dumbfoundedly around but Ravio used the quiet moment to put his rod away, already pushing himself past several spectators before he clumsily made it back into the ring. He was panting from exhaustion but there was pride bubbling just underneath his surface. They both had done it. Blue landed on him and Ravio could only guess that the spark in those eyes was mirrored in his own. The merchant crossed the distance and wrapped his hand around Link’s wrist, lifting his arm into the air. 

“And the winner is… Link, the hylian adventurer!” 

Cheers and compliments were shouted from the crowd and Ravio noticed how his friend was breathing heavily, clearly just as exhausted as he was if not more. They were grinning from ear to ear and even though they were surrounded by voices, the moment he looked into deep blue Ravio tuned everything else out. _Thank you_ , Ravio wanted to say, _for trusting me_.

Bludo finally snapped out of his surprise and walked up to the two travellers in order to congratulate Link. He shook the Hylian’s hand, and by extension his whole body, and complimented him loudly for showing this old rock a few new tricks. Aji too came to thank him for the fight and Ravio helpfully translated the shy compliments Link signed to his competition. When asked whether he felt up for a rematch, the hero was quick to decline. 

“Mister! Don’t forget your prize!” 

Ravio turned to look as a young Goron came running towards them, an iron pot in his arms. When given, the Lolian realized just what he was holding and he opened his mouth a few times before closing it again. Instead of saying anything, he simply showed the content to Link who too couldn’t help but stare in disbelief.

Dozens of smaller gems had been thrown together as a trophy.

“Are you… are you sure we can have these?” Ravio whispered, not trusting his voice. A booming laughter startled him and Bludo patted his shoulder, leaving yet another bruise for sure.

“Of course, of course! We got more than enough of these in our mines so we thought we would give some to our newfound brothers! Besides, if what you say about Rudania is true then we will be able to return to our mines in no time! See it as payment for your help, brother!” 

Thanking the Goron Boss, Ravio and Link made their way back to the inn and their shared room. The walk was quiet though the moment the door fell shut behind them Ravio felt himself being pushed against the wall, warm lips on his own. He had no time to react before sweaty arms wrapped around his neck and a moment later the Lolian was pulled into a tight hug. He quickly overcame the initial surprise and held Link close.

“You were incredible out there…” 

The hero leaned back and vehemently shook his head as he pulled his hands away in order to sign. _“Are you kidding me? That was all you. I don’t know what you did but I wasn’t pushed back at all.”_ Blue shone with awe and excitement, a look Ravio wanted to get used to.

“Sure, I might have helped out a bit but that at the end? I promise on my lolian heritage that I didn’t do anything, it was all your own strength that pushed Aji out of the ring. I simply gave you the time you needed in order to win.”

Link pouted at him and Ravio simply kissed those lips in a silent apology. “Fine, we were both incredible out there. Happy now?” 

The smile was answer enough.

The two travellers separated again so Link could start changing into his own clothes while Ravio took care of the pot full of gems. He counted sapphires, rubies, and even one or two diamonds. It was unimaginable that they had just been given such rare goods for a win in a wrestling match, of all things. 

Link was only just putting his tunic on when Ravio moved behind him, his arms wrapped around his friend’s waist. A hand ended up in his dark hair and the merchant hummed in approval as he closed his eyes, simply enjoying their closeness.

“You know, earlier today I heard about a handful of nearby hot springs... They are just a few minutes south from here and I think we both could use not only a bath but some relaxation as well.” He kissed Link’s cheek and smiled against the skin as his friend silently chuckled. 

“I knew you would agree. I’m just full of great ideas lately, wouldn’t you say so?”

Intertwining their hands, the two friends left their room for another evening swim. Tomorrow they would face the beast that had terrorized the Gorons for a century but just for tonight they would bathe in their victory and enjoy the lovely company of each other. 

Tonight they would kiss under the light of the moon and celebrate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here for an adorable sleepy Ravio from the last chapter, drawn by theshortestalchemist!](https://theshortestalchemist.tumblr.com/post/622048401223204864/the-merchants-sleepy-smile-was-enough-to-shut)  
> 
> 
> This chapter was inspired by Twilight Princess! Obviously botw Link doesn't have the iron boots from tp so instead I gave him the sand rod in order to scam the Gorons. I love the image of Ravio acting as an entertainer and he once again tried to sell his dear friend to another race. I sense a pattern here. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


	23. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio start climbing Death Mountain but not everything goes as planned.

Playing cat and mouse with deadly and corrupted flying sentries wasn't Link’s favourite idea of reaching Vah Rudania but when did he ever get what he wanted.

At least his company wasn’t half bad. 

The two travellers pressed themselves against the wall as yet another sentry flew over their heads, its lights barely missing them. The Goron Boss had told them that if they were spotted they would be attacked instantly so stealth and patience had to be their primary weapon. 

Ravio was clutching his tornado rod close to his chest, his eyes fearful and Link couldn’t hold it against him. Those flying monsters were already scary enough but knowing that they could alert the Divine Beast to rain down magma bombs? Yeah, that would make everyone uneasy. 

He peaked past the rock they were hiding behind and watched the rhythm of the closest sentries. Link waited for a few moments to make sure and then he motioned for his friend to follow him. They ran quietly but fast and made it to the next little hideout before they could be spotted. A quick glance up only made the Hylian realize just how much longer they had to play this stupid game before making it to Vah Rudania. 

Link found himself missing the time he simply had to ride Sidon’s back and shoot some arrows. 

It wasn’t like the hero was particularly worried about himself. He had the armor and shields to protect himself from any bigger damage. No, his concern was fully on the Lolian. Ravio was way more fragile and his lack of combat had dulled his reaction time and instincts. The merchant was a scholar, somebody who only reacted after thinking his actions through. He lacked the impulsiveness and awareness that Link possessed. 

Taking a deep breath, the hero continued to lead them through another wave of sentries till they made their way to the first cannon. Bludo had told them that in order to weaken the beast, they needed to shoot several bombs until it would be forced to retreat. Link placed a remote bomb into the cannon and waited for Ravio to use his hammer to set the weapon off. The moment the bomb was shot at the beast, Link readied his slate and detonated it the second it collided with Rudania. The lizard screamed in pain and the two friends sighed in relief.

_“One down, three more to go.”_

The ascend was slow. Link would push his friend against walls every so often, closing his eyes in a silent prayer that the sentries would fly by without noticing them. He could feel Ravio’s racing heart against his hand and the hero forced himself to smile reassuringly. They could do this. One step after another, one cannon at a time. 

They were just meters away from the third cannon when things started to go wrong. Link flinched when a loud shrieking noise tore through the silence and drowned everything around them in a red light. Wide blue looked back and Link had to watch in horror as Ravio was frozen in place, his leg right in the spotlight of one of the sentries. Panicked eyes looked at him and for a single heartbeat nothing happened…

…and then Vah Rudania screamed. 

The ground below their feet began to rumble when the first boulders fell from the sky. Link only had a moment to react as he tackled Ravio to the ground just as a rock landed where he had been standing just a second before. The hero’s ears were ringing and while he could see the merchant saying something, Link couldn’t hear. He was acting purely on instinct.

His shield wouldn’t be enough to protect them both.

Wild and unseeing blue landed on the green rod and Link tore it from his friend’s grip without so much as a warning. He positioned his body protectively over Ravio, made sure that the other’s head was safely placed beneath his chest before raising his arm into the sky, a loudless scream tearing from his throat. 

A tornado began to form at the end of the rod and quickly grew bigger in order to cover the two friends in a cocoon of fierce and untamable air. The first boulders crashed against the shield of wind but the gale blew them away as if they were nothing but annoying leaves. Link gritted his teeth as the overwhelming emotions flowed into the tornado rod and he could feel himself getting drained with each passing second. Yet he continued to focus on the thoughts that fed the wind around him.

Ravio had told him that he fueled the tornado rod with fear.

And right now Link was terrified of losing Ravio.

Tearing down the walls he had so carefully built up since his awakening, Link forced himself to face every fear he had ever pushed away. The fear of not being enough, the regret of having failed and caused hundreds of deaths, the pressure of everyone’s expectations. Link felt it all and he forced himself to relive that fateful night in Hateno when Ravio had looked at him with fear of abandonment. 

He screamed quietly until his throat began to hurt. His body threatened to break under the exhaustion but the Hylian simply looked down into green eyes. Ravio was here with him and his friend was in danger. It didn’t matter whether he would faint, he needed to hold out until the attack was over. 

For what felt like hours but were probably just seconds, Link kept up the cocoon around the two of them. He bit his lips bloody and whatever the Lolian was mumbling, he couldn’t hear him. His vision became blurry and the hero’s hold on the rod began to slip… 

…when a hand wrapped around his own.

All of a sudden the strain on his magic lessened greatly and Link could breathe easier. He blinked the black spots away and found himself face to face with Ravio. The merchant was sitting next to him as they held the tornado rod together, the wind around them stronger than ever before. The gale that their combined magic had created slammed the remaining sentries into surrounding walls, destroying them instantly. 

For a few seconds Link forgot where they were. He forgot the Divine Beast, forgot the volcano they had been climbing, forgot the danger they were in. All that mattered was the Lolian sitting in front of him and Link dully noticed tears streaming down his face. He was trembling and sobbing but Ravio was right there with him. Later on the Hylian wouldn’t remember who had leaned in first but the kiss they shared right then was desperate. Two lovers who were forced to face their deepest fears clung to each other and their combined strength wrapped around them in a protective embrace. 

Ravio pulled away first. Link’s eyes were closed and he was panting heavily when his friend lowered their arms and gently took the rod out of his cramping hand. Leaning his head against his friend’s shoulder, Link allowed himself to cry. He held onto the purple tunic as if his life depended on it and there were arms around his shoulders as he was pulled against the other’s chest. Ravio didn’t say anything and Link simply listened to the racing heart beneath his ear.

Quiet minutes passed in which the Hylian calmed his breathing though his hold never lessened. A kiss was pressed against his temple and Link focused on the other’s breathing.

“It’s okay, Link. You’re safe, we’re _both_ safe. You protected us.” Words of encouragement and affection were whispered into his hair as he was held close. A headache thrummed behind his eyes but the hero knew it would pass. All the pain in his limbs would disappear eventually. Because they were alive. They were alive and well and together. 

Ravio helped him up when it was time to continue. Link didn’t really pay attention when the Lolian led him over to the third cannon and without any complaints the merchant summoned a bomb and sent it flying with his hammer. Rudania’s scream echoed through the mountain and a moment later Link noticed a bottle of green liquid that was shoved into his face.

“Come on, drink this… It won’t help with your magic but it will regenerate your stamina.”

Feeling too weak to protest, Link downed the content of the bottle and grimaced at the disgusting taste. Ravio’s chuckle was quiet and they continued their path with their fingers intertwined. 

“I know what it feels like. You will be fine.” And the Lolian’s voice was so full of affection that Link believed anything he said. 

“I’ve never seen a greenhorn create such impressive magic… Whatever you thought about must have caused quite the powerful emotion…” 

Link could hear the unspoken question. He had half a mind to keep it to himself but then again Ravio had admitted to his motivation for the fire rod. Throughout their adventure the Lolian had revealed so many secrets, it was only fair that Link returned the bottomless trust and loyalty. He motioned for his friend to stop and freed his hands. Looking away, Link began to sign hesitantly. 

_“I thought about waking up alone in the Shrine of Resurrection… About being by myself and not living up to the expectations… And how my failure caused so much pain and suffering…”_ Link took a shaking breath and looked up to meet those familiar green eyes. 

_“But the fear of losing you was the worst of them all.”_

The look Ravio gave him wasn’t one of pity as he had expected. No, there was something way more haunting in that tired green and when the merchant cupped his face, Link rested his hands on top of the other’s in order to make sure that he wouldn’t just disappear. Ravio leaned in until their foreheads touched and the Hylian could feel a shaking breath on his lips. He realized that it hadn’t been sympathy in those sorrowful eyes.

It had been recognition. 

After all, who else could understand the burden of a hero better than somebody who had been forced to carry the same title? 

They were trapped in the same cruel game of their Goddesses but they weren’t alone with their expectations. Not anymore. It would take Link more time to fully realize this but there was no need to hide his insecurities anymore. They were both broken in their own unique ways and Ravio would never judge him for breaking under the pressure that his simple existence had put on him. 

“That’s funny…” the Lolian whispered against his lips, “That’s the same fear I focused on.” 

Blue widened and he was greeted by a gentle smile. When Ravio leaned away Link almost asked him to come back but for now he needed to push his own wants into the background. The Hylian simply nodded and slapped his cheeks in order to snap out of the melancholy.

He was an adventurer for goodness sake!

Climbing the rest of the mountain was relatively uneventful and Link was thankful for that. They found the last cannon and didn’t waste any more time shooting the final bomb. Vah Rudania began to smoke and the ground shook as it retreated into the mountain, seemingly trying to get away from them. The two travellers reached the peak and jumped into the awaiting mouth of the volcano without hesitation, determined to put an end to Ganon's corruption. 

It was about time they calmed the beast down and got the heck out of this area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here for last chapter's Ravio introducing the almighty wrestler, the one and only adventurer Link; drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/622152025632833536/this-just-in-wrestling-announcer-bunny-has-been)
> 
> So there isn't much to say about this chapter. My idea was that it was about time that Link got to play the role of the hero. So far it had always been Ravio who had shielded his friend, be it in the Hinox fight or against the first Divine Beast. I wanted to change things up a little and allow Link to take the initiative when it comes to their protection. Link is always acting out on instinct and this time his first impulse was to protect his partner. 
> 
> Ravio always talks about having Link's back but that promise goes both ways. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	24. The fight against Vah Rudania

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio take on the Divine Beast Vah Rudania. But this time they are in this together.

Vah Rudania was… dark. Link didn’t mean it in some metaphorical sense but a literal one. It was so dark he couldn’t see a hand in front of his face. 

“One moment, Mr. Hero.” A voice spoke from somewhere next to him and after some rummaging and curses a small light appeared to his right. Ravio looked satisfied as he held onto his fire rod and the Hylian remembered that he still had a torch somewhere in his inventory. Eventually both travellers stood with a source of light in their hands and simply went to explore the Divine Beast.

Silence was their constant companion and the only thing that Link could hear when he strained his ears were their simple footsteps on a long abandoned ground. It almost seemed like a haunted place and when a hesitant hand bumped into his, the Hylian didn’t hesitate to grab it. 

It took a while but eventually the two friends found what Ravio dubbed as the 'endless blue flame’. Apparently it was a fire that was used for forges because once lit it would never die out in Lorule. It was both incredibly useful and dangerous. Link decided to carry the flame through the beast and among their way lit every torch they came across. Once the different halls had been revealed, the Lolian cracked his knuckles and held his hand out in expectation. Link blinked and handed him the slate before Ravio pushed him down into a sitting position.

Confused blue stared up at his friend.

“Let me handle the terminals. It doesn’t look like this place is as full of monsters as Vah Ruta was. I can handle this.” 

Link raised a brow at that. _“Famous last words, remember?”_ He thought back to the Hinox and how Ravio had unexpectedly entered the fight. It had been the first time Link had caught a glimpse of who his friend had truly been.

But the Lolian simply grinned at him and reached out to ruffle his blond hair. “I never forgot. But there is a difference between us, Mr. Hero.” Ravio pointed at himself. “I would never underestimate an enemy. I’m a coward, after all. If I think I can’t win a fight I will simply run away and fetch you.” 

The hand in his hair stilled and Ravio turned serious. “You just used a huge amount of magic, Link. I know better than anyone what kind of consequences that has on your body. And if my assumptions are right then another gift from Ganon will await us at the end. I’m not strong enough to fight those blights so I need you to rest for as long as you can.” Green eyes softened and Link felt those familiar butterflies in his stomach, even if they seemed to be just as exhausted as he was.

“Have some faith in me.”

Of course he believed in him. How could the Hylian not? Ravio had proven himself over and over again as the worthy Hero of Lorule. With a small defeated sigh, Link took the hand from his head and pressed a kiss onto its knuckles, his eyes never leaving green. The message was clear: _Take care._

The merchant nodded and began to take the scarf off his neck in order to wrap it around Link’s. “Rest, buddy. I will be back before you know it.”

With that Ravio left him alone and headed into the direction of the entrance, probably wanting to take in all the machinery in a chronological order. Link leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, paying attention to the footsteps that were already so far away. The scarf was a good enough distraction and the Hylian took several deep breaths, surrounding himself with the scent of his friend. It helped him stay calm and the hero forced himself not to worry. Ravio was capable of handling this. He was a hero, after all.

But above everything else he was his partner. 

Partner… it had a nice ring to it, Link had to admit. It made it sound like they were an established duo, ask for one and you would get the other. Waking up in that shrine already felt like a fading memory, though it had only been a couple of months since he had awoken alone and memoryless. Sometimes he would dream and wonder whether what he saw were parts of his past or simple pieces of fantasy. At first Link had tried to live up to the person the king had told him he had once been. He had tried to be the guard who had put his life down for the princess but no respectful soldier would have climbed anything he could get his hands on or use boulders to squeeze a handful of Bokoblins to dust. The Hylian had tried to balance his personality between what had been expected of him and who he had wanted to be. After all, a hero couldn’t afford any personal wishes, right? But then he had heard those screams for help, and had stolen the wild horse of a Bokoblin only to arrive just in time to see a crazy idiot jumping off a bridge. Who would have guessed that this simple encounter would turn into something so much bigger? 

Ravio had saved him from the loneliness he had been born into. 

Link couldn’t remember when exactly he had fallen asleep but blue eyes snapped open when everything around him began to move. He jumped onto his feet and whimpered as the exhaustion clawed at his muscles, reminding him that he wasn’t yet in a position to fight. The Divine Beast rumbled loudly and Link had to watch in horror as the mechanical creature turned onto its side, dragging him and his belongings across the room until he slammed into a new wall that had previously been the ground. A groan slipped through his gritted teeth and the hero rubbed the back of his head that had begun to throb with the impact. 

“Oops!” A voice echoed throughout the beast and Link cracked an eye open to look towards a ceiling that now revealed an opening to the roof. A small head peaked over the edge and after a second of hesitation the figure waved down at him. “Sorry, Mr. Hero!” Ravio yelled down and Link narrowed his eyes, fully aware that the other wouldn’t be able to make out anything he would sign.

“You know how we were able to move the trunk in Vah Ruta? Turns out this Beast can also be controlled!” A nervous chuckle reached his ears. “I just didn’t know it would tilt its whole body. Sorry about that!” 

Link pushed himself onto his feet. There was no way he could go back to taking a nap if the walls would move around him every few minutes. The Hylian stretched his aching bones before placing his hands on his hips. He needed to find a way to get up there.

“Oh!” Ravio’s head disappeared and a few seconds later an object was thrown down the hole. The hero caught it out of instinct and raised his brow at the weird looking hook that had been given to him. Just what was he supposed to do with this thing?

“That’s a hookshot!” The merchant yelled as if he had read his mind. “Aim it somewhere close around here and then press the button! The hook will be shot at the wall and once it’s secured, you can click the button again and the rope will pull you up!” 

Shrugging, Link guessed he could give it a try. If he were to fall he could quickly grab his glider so there really was no harm in humoring the weird looking device. With a slightly trembling arm the Hylian aimed at the ceiling right next to the open roof. His tongue stuck out in concentration and when he pushed the button, the recoil throbbed through his whole being. The hook hit its mark and without waiting any longer Link pressed the button again. 

He was quickly dragged through the air and within a blink of an eye he found himself hanging off the ceiling by the hook alone. A gloved hand appeared in his vision and Ravio grinned at him, tooth gap showing. The Hylian felt a warmth blooming and he took the offered hand, allowing his friend to help him up. Adrenaline still rushed through his body as he looked with excitement at the pretty useful and fun device in his hands, however Ravio was quick to take it away from him. His weak glare was easily ignored when the Lolian pecked his cheek. “Look, buddy, I would take on a Hinox for you, but I’m not stupid enough to leave you unsupervised with any of my items.”

Ravio grinned as he put the tool back in his bag and accepted the returned scarf. “You are already a beast with the sword, I don’t need you to get a taste of arson or slinging yourself through the air.”

Together the friends continued wherever Ravio had left off with the puzzles. Now that the merchant had an idea of how these Divine Beasts were functioning, he was quick to find most of the terminals. Link would listen to easy orders and use his runes whenever he was told to do so. He couldn’t help but wonder whether Ravio gave him simple tasks to make him feel like he was participating, while all the difficult work was done by the Lolian himself. He appreciated the thought though. 

After an hour of deactivating terminals, Link and Ravio were left standing on top of the beast’s back. There was only the central unit left and he could see his own tension being mirrored in his friend’s body language. 

This was it. One more fight and they could move on.

“This time I won’t leave your side, Link. You won’t fight alone.”

And when he looked over, all the Hylian could see was somebody carrying himself with pride and conviction. There was no hesitation in that melodic voice, no fear in green eyes. Ravio was every inch a hero and when Link offered his hand, the other took it immediately. They leaned in for one more kiss.

“Now go and kick the Blight's ass.”

He didn’t need his friend to tell him twice. They separated and Link placed the slate on the unit, waiting for that scream that would announce their new guest. A moment later the Fireblight appeared in a blue light, its body twisted and a giant sword in one hand. The air around them heated up greatly and Link jumped a few steps back, putting enough distance between himself and the creature. Pulling out a sword and shield, the Hylian shifted his weight. The sound of something shuffling caught his attention but he didn’t need to turn around. By now he knew what it sounded like when Ravio looked through his bag for a specific item.

When the Blight first took a swing at him, Link noticed that it moved slower than the one he had fought before. The ground shook with the impact of the great sword and when it looked like the creature would need a second or two to pull the weapon out of the stone, Link knew that he needed to take the opportunity. The Hylian quickly sprinted over and sliced at the hardened body for as long as he could before he needed to back off again. Balls of fire appeared in the Blight’s hand and Link lifted his shield in preparation when a wall of ice easily shielded him from any harm. 

Just as quickly as it had been summoned it disappeared again, allowing Link to start engaging. Any attempts for his head turned out to be fruitless as either a protective gale would redirect the sword or a layer of ice would catch the fire thrown his way. A thrilling excitement washed over him and the Hylian had never felt this free while fighting. He solely focused on his offense as Ravio stood true to his word, stopping any attack that could have gone for him. It reminded him of a dance when Ravio followed his every step, both switching fluently between action and reaction. They took and gave in the same breath.

Link easily swapped between his bow and sword. It was almost a sad sight to see the Blight barely managing to get back up before he would knock it down again, one way or another. 

“Phase 2!” Ravio finally yelled over the ear piercing scream of the creature and Link backed off until he stood next to the merchant. They were covered in sweat from both the heat and exhaustion but his friend didn’t hesitate to send him an encouraging smile. The Hylian noticed the two rods in Ravio’s hands and whistled lowly, much to the embarrassment of the Lolian. Sure, his friend could brush it off as much as he wanted but wielding two of those at once took a lot of concentration and skill. 

The travellers watched with caution as the Blight summoned a fire in its hand to ignite the giant sword with. A shield of blazing energy appeared around the creature and Link was hit by another wave of heat. He tightened his hold on his sword and gritted his teeth. The air was getting difficult to breathe and they would run into a problem if the temperature were to rise any more. 

“Look out!” 

The Blight teleported across the arena and once it had rematerialized itself, it began to absorb the energy around them. Link could feel the way the air was being sucked towards the creature and a slowly growing meteor appeared between the Blight’s hands. With each second it only became bigger and the Hylian knew he had to act quickly if he didn’t want them to get hit by that thing. A sudden idea hit him and he abandoned his bow in favor of his slate, ignoring Ravio’s concerned yell as he summoned a blue bomb in his hand. He waited until the meteor was big enough before throwing the bomb in his direction. Just as expected it was sucked towards the fireball and Link detonated it just in time for the energy to explode in the monster’s face.

The protective layer of fire fell away and Link drew his sword again, running towards the Blight to finally finish it off. The ground underneath him suddenly began to rise and Link shifted his weight as the ice pillar propelled him into the air, just above the malice’s mask. With a silent scream Link pierced through its head and fire erupted from the dying monster just as a gale of wind wrapped around his body. The heat washed over his protective shell and Link landed in the place the Blight had stood in just a moment before. Panting heavily, the Hylian wiped the sweat off his forehead and turned around in time for arms to wrap around his neck. 

He was getting better at predicting those sudden bursts of affection. 

Before Link could react he was already pulled into a more than clumsy kiss and he couldn’t help but laugh silently against those rosy lips, much to the frustration of his friend. The adrenaline was still coursing through his body and the Hylian wrapped his arms around Ravio’s waist to lift him into the air, twirling them around as hands held onto his shoulders for support. Their eyes finally met and Link’s grin turned softer when he put the merchant back down. 

“I’d say we make a pretty good team, Mr. Hero.” Ravio mumbled and this time the kiss was slower. A hand moved up to his hair and Link pulled the Lolian closer to his chest. Goddess, if this was the reward for any future fights Link would just throw himself into the next one. They parted and Ravio nudged their noses together.

“No matter how romantic it might be to kiss inside a volcano, how about we finally leave this Goddess forsaken place and travel to a location that doesn’t want to kill us immediately.” 

Link couldn’t agree more. He stole one more kiss and wandered back towards the control unit that would finally set Vah Rudania free. He felt exhausted, his body screamed at him to finally rest and the throbbing behind his eyes was killing him. 

But it had been worth it. They had set the second Divine Beast free. 

They truly did make a good team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see sketches of Ravio and Link from the last chapter as well as them kissing in desperation, drawn by theshortestalchemist!](https://theshortestalchemist.tumblr.com/post/622197592960401408/uh-heres-this-mess-i-guess-the-top-two-are-just)
> 
> I know it was a rather short arc but this concludes the story of the second divine beast and Goron City. The following arc, so chapter 25 - Rito Village, is my favourite one out of the whole fanfic and I can only hope that you guys will enjoy it just a little bit. I'm excited and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. 
> 
> A big thank you to everyone who has read up to this point and who has commented so far, and an even greater thank you to everyone who has taken their time to draw something for this little project. All of you are incredible and I never imagined that this fic would be liked or enjoyed by even one person. Thank you!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	25. Siren song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link are back in Hateno and continue their journey towards Rito Village. Little do they know what awaits them.

Being back in Hateno felt like coming home. Ravio stretched his arms over his head as they walked down the by now familiar streets of the small village and the merchant noticed with amusement that Link walked with just as much energy as he did. The sun was shining with a comfortable non threatening heat and even though he was hiding behind his mask and hood, Ravio couldn’t help but smile. He swung their joined hands back and forth until finally _their_ house came into view. He let Link pass the bridge first and just as expected, that Bolson guy was lazing around underneath a tree. 

“Good afternoon.” Ravio greeted them once they were close enough. The three men nodded in acknowledgement and the merchant lightly nudged his friend. Hesitating, Link finally walked forward and revealed a heavy looking pouch with a rupee drawn on it. Bolson was quick to jump onto his feet, his eyes wide, and Ravio felt pride swell within him. They had exchanged the gems they had won from the wrestling match for rupees and were finally able to pay off the building that meant so much to Link.

“I-Is that…?” The man asked in disbelief.

“3,000 rupees. Not one more or less. You can count them if you want.” Ravio wrapped an arm around Link’s shoulders as the other placed a hand on his waist. Bolson eyed the two for a brief moment before he laughed, clapping his hands in celebration.

“Wonderful! Hudson, Karlson, this house officially belongs to these two young men!” The president of the construction business turned to them and bowed down. “It was a pleasure making business with you two! And if you want your house furnished I could offer my assistance for a little longer?” 

Link looked at him and Ravio simply shrugged his shoulders. “It would probably be good to have like a bed or table.” He added unhelpfully. The Hylian sent him a deadpanned look and the merchant snorted. “I know you’re more than fine with sleeping pretty much anywhere but I’ll have you know that my bones are delicate and that I have to be treated with care.” 

His friend rudely ignored him as he started to discuss the details with the workers.

“It would be 100 rupees per refurbishment. Based on your attire I could probably add several mounts for your equipment, as well as some lighting, a proper door and a bed. Oh, I could also plant some flowers and add a sign with your name.” 

It was amusing how blue naturally wandered back towards him. This time Ravio simply nodded in agreement and watched as Link began to count their rupees in order to pay for the new deal.

It was odd, in a sense. The Lorulean within him tried to be rational and argue that he would head home anyway once this whole adventure would be over. There was no need to worry about the interior of a building he would never live in, he was playing pretend and his wise side was very much aware of this. But then there was this other voice in his head. A voice that dreamed and wanted. It filled him with warm thoughts of waking up every morning next to the Hylian, of opening up a small shop right here in Hateno. That side of him dared him to fulfill his destiny and then take his life from the Goddess’ hands and make it his own. Ravio knew the name of this hope.

The merchant.

The personality he had always wanted to be, the mask he had worn for so long now that he couldn’t tell them apart anymore. His merchant tried to push him into fulfilling his desires, while the Lorulean tried to protect him from any heartbreaking disappointments. Two opposing sides in the forms of reality and ideal were fighting for dominance and Ravio was walking a tightrope, balancing between those two dangerous mindsets. 

_I am just a visitor in Hyrule,_ the Lorulean would say.

_But it doesn’t have to stay that way,_ the merchant would shoot back. 

_I am the royal advisor and I need to serve my kingdom,_ the Lorulean would argue.

_I am a simple traveller and I want to follow my heart_ , the merchant would whisper.

Shaking his head, Ravio decided to push this conflict away for when the time would come. There was no need to freak out about something that was in the far future. For now Ravio wanted to share Link’s excitement and discuss the super important topics of which flowers they would want in their garden and what should be written down on the sign.

For whatever reason Link shot down the idea of naming it ‘Ravio’s Shop’. What a surprise, Ravio even gasped for good measure. 

“Well, what do you want to call it then? _Link’s cave_?” He stuck out his tongue at his friend.

_“Nothing fancy or big. Something simple…”_ The Hylian thought before shrugging his shoulder. _“Why not just Link and Ravio’s house?”_

Ravio felt a lump in his throat and for a second it was difficult to breathe. He wrapped his arms around Link and pulled him into a tight hug, his face buried in the other’s neck. Hesitant hands came to hold him.

“Link, you shouldn’t… I might not…” But the Hylian shook his head in order to shut him up. Link pulled away just enough to sign. _“I don’t care. This will always be your home as well, it doesn’t matter where you might be. I want this house to be a place you can return to.”_ And there was so much love and conviction in those brilliant blue eyes that Ravio could do nothing but nod as a hand came to rest on his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.

“Link and Ravio’s house it is.”

* * *

After two days of resting the heroes had decided to continue their quest. Link had teleported them back to the Lanayru Tower so they could follow the path to the west. And it was a nice trip, Ravio had to admit. They simply followed a river the whole day and not a single enemy had been in their sight. Instead the merchant had the pleasure of witnessing Link jumping into the river in order to hunt their dinner. The Lolian hadn’t believed his friend when he had exclaimed that he could catch a fish with his bare hands but Ravio was quick to find out that he would lose that bet. 

Sheerow was comfortably perched on Link’s wet head as he cooked the fish, a smug grin on his lips as he pointedly searched for eye contact with him. Ravio wouldn’t call himself a sore loser but he did close his eyes. 

“You know, you might have found a way to shut me up but I also realized that if I simply don’t look at you, you can’t tell me a single thing. Can’t rub your win into my face if I can’t read your hands.” 

He wasn’t wearing his mask so the merchant simply shielded his face with his hands. Grinning widely, Ravio chuckled when he heard the spoon clinking against the pot. There was a bit of shuffling and closer coming footsteps before a weight settled down on his lap. Ravio could feel a hot breath on his neck and he shivered at the sensation. 

Gentle fingers moved to his wrists but to his surprise they didn’t try to remove his hands. Ravio realized with a start that Link didn’t want to force him to look up. He wanted him to give in instead.

It was an unspoken challenge.

“You’re not gonna break me, buddy.” The Lolian said with more confidence than he actually felt because that freaking breath was so Goddess damned distracting. Fingers tapped his wrists and then they disappeared before reappearing on his neck. Link ran his hands through his dark hair and Ravio gasped when his head was tilted back, exposing his throat. 

The first kiss barely counted as one. It was a featherlight touch and the merchant thought he had imagined it when those horrible but beautiful lips returned to his neck. 

He shivered.

Forcing his hands not to move had quickly become a difficult task. Ravio couldn’t stop a whimper from escaping when Link stilled his movement and a handful of terrifying seconds passed before those lips returned to his throat. The merchant was ready for another kiss when a sudden sensation caused him to shriek, desperately trying to push Link off of him.

That asshole was blowing raspberries on his skin!

Ravio screamed and laughed, tossed and turned but his friend easily pushed him onto his back, securing him in place. The Lolian begged for mercy but Link was cruel in his attacks. Tears streamed down his face when Ravio was finally forced to remove his hands in order to defend himself.

Blinking through the tears, the merchant looked up and spread his arms out as his body went slack. “I give up! You win, please stop!” There was a moment of hesitation but Link finally stopped and Ravio sighed in relief, his head falling back onto the ground.

The Hylian was sitting on his chest, using his hands to support himself as a cheshire grin decorated his lips. Ravio huffed and weakly glared at his innocently looking friend. “You’re the worst.” he mumbled under his uneven breath.

_“That’s two points for me and one for you. You’ve gotten soft, bunny.”_ Link leaned down and bumped their noses together, waiting for permission to continue. Ravio wanted to pout but he was too weak to refuse. He closed the distance and stole a quick peck. 

“You’re like a siren, you know that? You don’t need a singing voice to lead me into my demise.” Ravio kissed him one more time before pushing the Hylian off his chest.

“Now go and bathe in your victory at the cooking pot. Your fish is burning.”

Blue eyes widened and Link stumbled onto his feet in an attempt to save their dinner. With a small sigh Ravio leaned his head back and stared into the sky, not yet moving away from his sandy position.

Life sure was good at times.

* * *

They reached the Woodland Stable at the end of their second day of travel. Ravio stretched his aching arms and cheered as Sheerow chirped alongside him. Link looked just as relieved and the duo was quick to rent two beds for the remaining night. The merchant was sitting on Link’s bed, the other’s head in his lap as he talked about whatever came to his mind. He ran his fingers through blond hair and played around with it absently. 

“Have you ever wondered about what our former selves were like?” Ravio mumbled under his breath, his eyes unfocused. The mask had been thrown into his bag and the Lolian slowly got used to the idea of walking around without it. He had made it a point to ignore any weird glances shot their way because none of their questioning looks could ever compete with the affection he would receive from Link in return. 

His friend shook his head and Ravio hummed in thought. “Like, I know it was thousands of years ago but… At some point in the past we, or rather the heroes’ spirits, had met. It’s such a weird thing to think about, that another Ravio had once come to Hyrule to ask your predecessor for help.” The merchant looked down to meet attentive blue that silently encouraged him to continue talking. “I wish there had been more notes and documents about that time. I get that Lorule was pretty much screwed and didn’t think to write anything historical down for the generations that might not follow but… There is so little I know about that time. Do you think our predecessors got along?” 

Link seemed to think about it for a moment before he began to sign slowly. _“I don’t know. If that Link was anything like me he was probably put off in the beginning. But if the former Ravio had just a little bit in common with you I’m sure they eventually became friends.”_

The Lolian snorted and tugged at Link’s hair. “Did you just say that I weirded you out in the beginning? What is this I have to hear, Mr.Hero?” 

The Hylian had the audacity to shrug his shoulders with a grin. _“You were the most suspicious travelling merchant I’d ever met. Weird bunny hood, mask, and then that overdramatic attitude. Thought for a while you might try and mug me.”_

Ravio gasped loudly and placed a hand on his chest. “Me? Overdramatic? I beg your pardon?” He flicked his friend’s nose. “Besides, what was there to steal anyway? You were wearing clothes that were ready to fall off your body at any second and you were all dirty and feral.” His tone softened and Ravio placed a small kiss on Link’s forehead. “The only thing I stole from you was your heart and really, you gave that to me willingly.” Eyes meeting, the merchant moved to meet waiting lips as they kissed upside down. “And in return I gave you mine.”

When a hand reached up to touch his cheek, Ravio closed his eyes and leaned into it. They simply shared the moment of vulnerability until the merchant sighed. “We should get some rest. It’s still another week of travelling until we reach the Hebra Mountains and this is our last stable for a while.”

The Lolian stole one more kiss before he climbed into his own bed, allowing Sheerow to sleep in his scarf like every night. His heart was still racing from the little confession but Ravio hid a small smile underneath his blanket. Link’s actions, after all, had only confirmed his own emotions. 

It was in the middle of the night when Ravio awoke to the distressed chirping of his friend. He groaned sleepily and hid his head underneath his pillow but Sheerow was restless in its attempts of waking him. Sighing, the merchant sat up and rubbed his tired eyes, barely conscious.

“What’s the matter, 'Row?” He asked in between a yawn and watched as the white bird flew over to the neighbouring bed. It was still dark and Ravio needed a few moments to adjust to the lack of light but once he did, he felt his blood run cold.

Link wasn’t in his bed. 

Suddenly awake, the Lolian sat up and clumsily put his boots on. He grabbed his fire rod and summoned a small flame only to see that all of Link’s clothes were still next to their beds. 

That was never a good sign. 

“Sheerow, watch over our stuff. I’m gonna look for him.”

He barely had the patience to grab his hood as he already ran outside the stable. The nature around him was still asleep and the soft sound of a flowing river was his only companion in the darkness of the world. Ravio tried to calm his racing heart but the blood was already running into his ears, causing an annoying ringing sound to cloud his mind. Through gritted teeth he began to run into a random direction, his fire rod his only source of light.

“Come on, help me out here!” The Lolian growled and a moment later his left hand began to glow faintly. Tension left his body and the overwhelming panic shrunk into a nagging emotion clawing at his thoughts. His mind felt like it was cut off from any distractions and Ravio took the first deep breath since he had awoken.

“Link?” He called into the darkness as he followed a path leading through trees and grass. The merchant didn’t know why he had chosen this direction but something was pushing him forward, promising him that he would find what he was looking for if he just continued.

“Are you here?” Ravio wasn’t going to lie, he was terrified as he walked through the haunting forest. Trees grew bigger and the further he went, the thicker the forest became. Every noise would cause him to flinch and the merchant had barely stopped himself from accidentally frying an owl that had been watching him from a branch.

“Link, where are you?” 

His environment changed slowly and Ravio realized that he was walking towards a gap between two rocks. Whatever hid behind that gate was covered in a thick fog and a shiver ran down his spine as he thought he had heard the laughter of kids somewhere. It felt as if this forest protected something and Ravio had the idea that anything that wasn’t welcome would regret ever entering. He had half a mind to turn around when he saw a lonely figure stumbling towards the fog, dressed in only a worn shirt and pants. 

It was Link.

Relief washed any fear away as Ravio picked up his pace, trying to catch up with his friend who didn’t reply to anything that was yelled at him. A horrifying realization creeped up on him when the Lolian placed a hand on Link’s shoulder, trying to stop him from entering that dangerous place. 

Link’s eyes were glassy and unfocused.

He was still asleep.

Ravio placed himself between the Hylian and the forest as that ghostly fog wrapped around his legs, daring him to come closer. He used all his strength to push Link back but he barely managed to slow his friend down. 

“Link, wake up, please!” His voice sounded desperate even to his own ears and no matter how much the Triforce glowed, there was no way to hold back his panic any longer. Ravio had to watch as the hero pushed the two of them towards the forest and without thinking, the Lolian pressed the fire rod’s tip against Link’s shoulder. Concentrating on their first kiss, Ravio mumbled a quiet apology as he focused his magic.

Link screamed. 

Clear blue widened at the sudden pain and the Hylian fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder that had just been burned. He was trembling all over and Ravio noticed that he was breathing heavily, his forehead covered in sweat. The merchant kneeled down next to his friend and placed a cold hand on Link’s neck, trying to get his attention. Scared and confused eyes finally focused on him and Ravio felt like crying out in relief.

“Link, it’s okay. You’re safe. It’s me, Ravio.” He made sure that the Hylian understood before pulling him into a tight hug. Link’s whole body was shaking and Ravio took a small breath.

“Let’s get you back to the stable.” It was slow but eventually Link managed to stand on his own two feet without any support. The Hylian was completely out of it and Ravio led him away from the forest, trying to ignore the way Link would look back towards it every so often. 

Once they were back, Ravio made his friend sit down on his bed as he looked for his ice rod. He used it to cool the burning and hushed his friend whenever he winced away from the cold. Link hadn’t tried to say anything yet and the merchant pushed his worry away in favor of treating the wound. He poured some of his remaining red potions onto a piece of cloth and began to wrap the shoulder until he was satisfied with the self made bandage. Staying where he was, Ravio looked up at the other as he cupped Link’s cheeks.

“Link, are you with me?” Tired blue focused on him and there was a hesitant nod. Well, any recognition was a good one.

“What happened? Do you remember waking up and leaving the stable?” A hesitant shake of his head.

“I think you might have… sleepwalked.” Ravio concluded, biting his lip. Link cocked his head in confusion but didn’t attempt to sign anything. With a small sigh the merchant moved to grab some water and pieces of fabric in order to wash Link’s dirty feet.

“Do you know what you dreamt about?” Keeping his voice soft, Ravio continued cleaning as he never looked away from unsure blue. He knew that Link found comfort in seeing his own green eyes and so he tried to look as kind and loving as he could. And it worked when his friend began to sign.

_“There was a small boy… he didn’t say anything but I knew that he wanted to show me something… something important…”_ The Hylian furrowed his brows and Ravio patiently waited for him to continue. _“He led me through a forest and there was a melody... I... I wanted to follow it. It was like an urge... and my body moved without my consent but I didn’t fight it… I… felt happy.”_ Link looked so heartbroken when he finished and Ravio moved to sit next to him. His friend didn’t protest when he pulled the hero onto his lap and Ravio hugged him from behind, his head resting on Link’s shoulder. He placed a small kiss on the exposed skin as he began to rub the tension out of the Hylian’s arms. 

“What you describe, Link… it reminds me of Naydra... maybe something is calling for you.” He hated the idea that whatever was hiding in that forest wanted Link, and if it was up to Ravio they would never take another step towards that place but he knew better than to be selfish. 

“Do you want to follow the call?” It was a question he already regretted but his friend had been there for him when he had been at his lowest. He needed to repay the kindness. 

The hero rested his head against his shoulder and looked up until their eyes met. There were many emotions rushing through blue but Ravio noticed that determination was the loudest of them all. Link nodded and the merchant smiled. “Okay. We will leave with the rising sun. Together.” 

Holding onto his partner, Ravio’s eyes kept on glancing towards the bandaged shoulder and he couldn’t help but lean down to place a kiss on Link’s neck. “I’m sorry for hurting you… I didn’t know how to snap you out of your dream, I should have thought of something smarter.” But Link shook his head. _“It’s okay. I’d rather get burned than be lured into a forest all by myself. I know you did it for me.”_ Furrowing his brows, it was obvious that Ravio was still feeling guilty. A hand touched the spot between his eyes and Link smiled softly. _“You’re too young for wrinkles. A smile suits you better.”_

“And you are way too good for me.” Ravio mumbled as he hid his face in his friend’s neck. They stayed in that position, Ravio hugging his friend, and after a few minutes the merchant noticed the even breathing of a now asleep Hylian. He quietly moved them to lie down and with his arms still wrapped around the other, Ravio allowed himself to fall asleep as well. 

Link was safe and they were together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May the new arc begin!  
> I apologize for the two cuts in this chapter, it won't become a habit. Most of you can probably guess where these two will be heading tomorrow and I'm excited because these are the chapters I was looking forward to posting. I hope that you guys will enjoy them just a little bit.
> 
> Anyway, have some cute fluff, some deep thoughts, and a haunting call!  
> 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	26. Lost but not forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link follows the melody into the unknown but will he be able to return? Does he even want to?

Link awoke to warm arms around him and a ringing in his ear. When he tried to move, a piercing pain in his right shoulder reminded him of last night’s events and the Hylian hissed through gritted teeth. Something next to him began to stir and a moment later worried green showed up in his peripheral vision. A soothing voice hushed him and a hand began to massage his scalp.

“Take it slow, buddy.” Ravio’s sleepy voice mumbled into his ear and Link could do nothing but nod. Right, he had woken up in a forest after being burned by the fire rod. Not like the Hylian was mad about it. The idea that something had controlled his body while he had been asleep was a terrifying thought and he was grateful that Ravio had gone through the trouble of finding him. He didn’t want to imagine what would have happened to him if it hadn’t been for his loyal friend. 

Gathering their equipment, Link and Ravio left as soon as they were ready. Sheerow had nestled into the merchant’s hood and the two travellers allowed their feathery friend to continue sleeping. Ravio was on the edge the whole time they walked and even when they held hands, the Lolian kept his ice rod in his other hand as if he was ready to tear the forest down if it tried to pull anything funny. 

It was a heartwarming thought.

The travellers remained relatively quiet as they walked. A few times Ravio would tug at his arm and Link would realize with a start that he had sped up. _Again_. The ringing noise in his ears deafened anything else and the Hylian had already noticed that the unintelligible sounds only he could hear began to form the melody that had tempted him in his dreams. His fingers were twitching, and the urge became unbearable. 

Link hadn’t noticed he had held his breath until the foggy gate came into view. Ravio had slowed down significantly and the Hylian thanked the little control he still had when he didn’t drag his friend inside. There was something haunting about the forest, a layer of danger and a warning that floated unspoken through the air.

And yet it felt like home.

Looking over to his friend, Link made it a point to intertwine their fingers. He didn’t need to say anything. He never had to. Ravio understood him and the merchant nodded as he squeezed their hands. They were in this together and Link wouldn’t let go. 

The moment they stepped through the fog, Link felt a foreign energy flooding his body. Any doubts, fears and exhaustion were erased and all that was left was a warming kiss of an unknown force. The forest welcomed him home and excitement spread through his body as he wanted to get lost, wanted to run and find whatever had called for him. 

The melody filled his soul and Link remembered the small boy who had taken his hand. He had felt foreign yet familiar and to the hero he had appeared like a brother. 

Reaching down, Link picked a blade of grass and positioned it between his hands. He closed his eyes and whistled experimentally until he got the tune he aimed for. With a deep breath the hero blew on the grass flute and imitated the melody as best as he could. 

Three ascending notes, played twice. 

The forest around him began to stir as if it had finally awoken from a deep slumber. The fog twirled around his legs like a friendly embrace and an unknown wind ruffled his hair in a teasing manner. Link found himself breathing easier and a small chuckle escaped him. Taking a step forward, a hesitant hand touched his shoulder and for a moment the Hylian was confused. 

Ravio didn’t say anything but Link could see the worry. He furrowed his brows. Why did his friend look so concerned? They were finally safe, they were home and Link wanted to celebrate. He didn’t want to see a wary look on the other’s face, he wanted Ravio to enjoy this as much as he did. 

Link didn’t think twice when he pulled Ravio into a kiss. It was clumsy and sloppy as he could only giggle, that foreign happiness keeping him from standing still for even just a second. He wanted to dance, to cheer, to get rid of all that energy inside. But colder hands held onto his cheeks and prevented him from running off towards that tempting melody.

“Link, please.” Ravio sounded so desperate, so concerned that the Hylian attempted to kiss the worries away but the merchant didn’t let him. Pouting, Link tried to wiggle out of the hold but the Lolian was already holding onto his wrist. 

“That’s not you. Snap out of it.” 

Link didn’t understand. Of course he was himself, who else was he supposed to be? The laughter of children reached his ears again and the hero looked over his friend’s shoulder to see the boy from his dreams run after a smaller creature. He wanted to join them. Why didn’t Ravio let him play? They were finally home!

“I’m sorry.” The Lolian said and Link furrowed his brows. Sorry for what? Though the cloudy thought got cut off the moment a hand pressed against his shoulder and an unexpected pain tore through his body, erasing that bubbling happiness he had embraced just seconds before. Link struggled to hold onto it but the pain exploded behind his eyes and that melody was drowned out by his own heavy breathing. Clutching his shoulder, Link gritted his teeth and glared at Ravio though as soon as the idea of his friend betraying him came to his mind, Link realized that something was wrong with him.

Ravio would never harm him out of fun. 

Ravio was the rational one who didn’t act without thinking.

Blue eyes widened greatly and Link looked at his friend with a mix of confusion and horror. He felt sick when he noticed that the forest was still clawing at his soul. The temptation had never left, it was simply suppressed by the pain.

_“What is happening to me?”_ Link signed with shaking hands and Ravio sighed heavily. Judging by the way his friend’s shoulders slumped down, the other was just as distraught as he was.

“I don’t know…” The merchant ran a hand through black hair and pulled at the ends. Link bit his lip and hesitantly applied some pressure to his burning mark again. He hissed but his mind stayed clear.

“If… if it’s really like my situation… Then something here is influencing you… Back then I felt Naydra’s pain and exhaustion. When it slowly lost its battle to the Malice I too felt drained and sick. But I don’t get why this place is affecting you… You don’t have a Triforce binding you to anything.” Ravio motioned to his hands that held nothing but faint scars. Link couldn’t be a carrier, Zelda had the whole Triforce and they both knew that.

“Something else is connecting you to this place… Those aren’t your own emotions, I’m sure…” Ravio mumbled and whatever else he had said became inaudible. Deciding to let his friend figure this one out, Link looked around them. They were fully covered in fog and all trees looked the same, preventing anyone from mapping out this place. Blue caught sight of something green and Link noticed that same young boy hiding behind a tree, seemingly waving him over. The faint sound of that melody came from the same direction and whenever the Hylian pressed down on his wound, the boy would flicker and disappear.

Link had an idea. And he knew Ravio would hate it.

Tapping the merchant’s shoulder, Link stopped whatever train of thought his friend might have had. He swallowed thickly and began to sign, careful not to show any emotions on his face.

_“We found Naydra because you followed her call. What if we allowed myself to get lost in this euphoria? I was clearly heading somewhere and if you follow me we should arrive at the source of it all, right?”_

Ravio didn’t look convinced and when he hesitantly reached for Link’s shoulder, the Hylian leaned into the touch, even pressing his wound against the hand. He whimpered but his eyes stayed as determined as before. He wasn’t being influenced right now, in fact he couldn’t be thinking clearer.

_“Let me lose myself, Ravio. And if I’m going too far you can snap me out of it. But it’s our best chance and you know that.”_

Placing his hand on Ravio’s chest, Link leaned in for a lingering kiss. His eyes fluttered shut and he ignored the siren call of the melody in favor of simply feeling the heartbeat beneath his fingertips. No matter what was trying to get into his head, Link was confident that his affection for the Lolian could pull him back. 

Sighing into the kiss, Link forced himself to lean back. Ravio looked at him with a pained expression and the hero knew that he was asking for a lot. But if he trusted anyone to watch over him, it was Ravio. 

Link pressed onto his wound one more time to clear his mind before lowering his hands, allowing the melody to sneak into his consciousness.

_“You are not a coward, bunny. And you’re not a little speck either. You are the hero I always needed in my life.”_

The Hylian lifted the grass flute to his mouth and after a deep breath played alongside the voice of the forest. 

His last clear thought was devoted to the merchant he had fallen for.

* * *

Running after the boy in green, Link grinned from ear to ear. He was panting heavily and only stopped to whistle the three notes again, waiting for the boy to answer him. Seconds would pass before the tones of an instrument would sound through the forest and Link would take off again, barely registering those distant footsteps behind him. Blue eyes were unfocused and sometimes he could even fool himself into seeing colorful butterflies flying around the place. The fog opened up for him and Link looked around for the little boy, trying to see where he was hiding this time. Heavy footsteps behind him signaled the arrival of the stranger and Link turned on his heel, grabbing the guy’s hands as he spun the two of them in a circle. He wasn’t sure why this Hylian was trying to hide his sadness but Link decided right then and there that he wanted to help the stranger. No one should be playing tag while feeling down. 

He pressed the grass flute to his lips and imitated the song that was resonating in his mind. The guy intertwined their fingers and even though the action was unexpected, Link found himself liking the way their hands fit together. He began to walk again and chuckled when the stranger almost stumbled over his own two feet. This Hylian was clumsy! 

They were deep inside the forest. Link didn’t know for how long they had been running but there were trees everywhere and it all looked the same. But that was fine, after all he knew these woods. He had grown up here and even without a little companion he could handle himself just fine. Tightening his hold on the cold hand, Link was determined not to let this weird guy get lost. Nothing good ever happened to adults around here and this Hylian had been nice to him. 

Link wouldn’t let anything happen to the stranger.

Eventually he was forced to slow down when it became apparent that the guy couldn’t keep up anymore. Link was a bit annoyed because the young boy was waiting for him but it couldn’t be helped. He lazily swang their arms to and fro, and giggled when the Hylian eventually joined in. Their arms went flying and Link grinned when they finally managed to swing in a full circle. He wanted to keep going but a sudden sound tore through the song of his beloved forest. For a long time now he hadn’t heard anything but the melody and confused blue ended up staring at the guy. 

The stranger was laughing.

Something pulled at his heart and Link furrowed his brows. The song of the forest became louder but Link couldn’t stop himself from focusing on that laughter instead. It was such a harmonic sound and he found himself drawn to that Hylian. His heart was fluttering though Link didn’t understand why. He had only just met this guy, why was his laughter interrupting his peaceful mind?

Link could hear the wooden instrument somewhere behind himself as it called for him impatiently. Turning away, he pulled his partner along, knowing that they still had a long way to go to reach their destination.

Wait… partner? 

Shaking his head, Link began to jog once again. The guy was following close behind and even though he hadn’t said anything to him, Link somehow missed his voice. That laughter echoed through his mind and although the children of the forest giggled around them, Link couldn’t muster up the same enthusiasm as before. 

It felt like an eternity had passed when the two of them finally arrived at a narrow path that seemingly led out of the forest. Link instinctively backed off, knowing that it wasn’t smart to leave the woods. The world outside was dangerous and only in here would they be safe. However, when that Hylian took a few steps towards the path, Link was quick to pull him back by his arm. The stranger looked at him with confusion but he shook his head vehemently and began to pull him into another direction. Though all his efforts were in vain as the guy refused to move with him. Was he a moron? Link was trying to help him! They needed to get away from the outer world, they needed to stay in the forest if they wanted to continue playing! 

“Link…” The Hylian whispered but Link continued to shake his head. He looked pleadingly at the person. Link didn’t want him to leave! For some reason he hated the idea of separating and the stranger needed to stay with him. 

When a hand reached for his shoulder, Link instinctively dodged out of the way. He tore his hand away and glared at the guy. Whatever the Hylian was planning, Link would most likely hate it so he took a step back, eyes narrowing. 

“Link, it’s okay. You led us through the forest, it’s time to come back to your senses.” 

His senses? Link had never thought clearer! He was finally home so why did this guy want to take him away? He belonged here!

“Link, let me just…” The hand reached for him once again but Link had had enough. He grabbed the arm and in a swift motion threw the body over his shoulder, causing the stranger to cry out as he was thrown onto the ground. Link used the moment of confusion to sit down on the Hylian’s chest and pin the two dangerous hands above the stranger’s head before he could try anything funny. He shifted his weight so the other couldn’t slip away from beneath him and Link bared his teeth at the guy, a low growl leaving his throat. How dare he try and hurt him after Link had been so nice to guide him?

Wide green looked scared and something within Link pulled uncomfortably. A part of him hated seeing the stranger like this but why was that? This Hylian had tried to hurt him, he shouldn’t feel bad for defending himself!

The guy took a shaking breath and when he next spoke up, his voice was barely a whisper and Link desperately wanted to get rid of that sadness.

“Link… It’s me, Ravio… Do you remember me?” 

He shook his head even though the name echoed in his mind, refusing to make space for that melody. The Hylian pushed back against his restraints but Link only used more force to keep him secured. He was in control. No one would decide for him, not anymore. This was his life and his home, he wouldn’t let anyone take him away. 

Cocking his head, something seemed off. Link didn’t know where those thoughts had come from but they stuck with him. He moved a little and leaned closer until he could stare into forest green. Something about those eyes made him want to explore but what truly caught Link’s attention were rosy lips. He remembered the melodic voice and wished his partner would say his name again and again. 

Link didn’t know what drove him to act but he shifted his position so he could hold onto the other’s wrists with a single hand. Now free, Link traced the stranger’s face. He touched a scar over a green eye and thought of falling stars, moved to freckles and imagined them connected, stopped at his partner’s lips that parted slightly to reveal a goofy tooth gap. The Hylian… No, the _Lolian_ took a shaking breath and Link frowned. 

He had always been living in these woods so why did this guy feel more like home than the forest itself?

Leaning closer until their foreheads touched, Link knew he was trembling. The wrists underneath his hand began to move again and this time he allowed them to free themselves. Link had expected them to reach for his shoulder but instead he felt colder hands on his cheeks. He nudged his nose against the Lolian’s and his partner nodded. 

  
  
  


_‘To others you might be the chosen hero but first and foremost you are a person. And a person should be allowed to want and dream.’_

  
  
  


He kissed Ravio. Burying his fingers in the merchant’s hair, Link was scared of losing him again. His chest filled with an overwhelming love and he could only focus on the way his friend gasped into the kiss though neither of them pulled away. They intertwined their hands and Ravio pressed against him with a desperation that mirrored his own. He only leaned back when he needed air and Link buried his face in the Lolian’s neck, breathing in the scent of home. Arms wrapped around his waist and the two travellers simply held onto each other for several long moments.

“I take it you remember me?” It was such a stupid question that Link couldn’t help but snort. That beautiful laughter filled his ears again and the Hylian sighed as he allowed himself to relax. He was safe, not because of the forest but because of his partner. 

It took the two friends a long while before they mustered up the strength to stand up. The fog still wrapped around his legs but for the first time since he had woken up in the stable, Link couldn’t hear the melody anymore. The forest was quiet, seemingly holding its breath, and Ravio offered a hand that Link took without hesitation. 

There was only one way to go and the Hylian wanted to know what had been calling for him. They followed the narrowed path and Link watched warily as the young boy from his dream skipped gleefully around the two of them. The kid guided the travellers to a clearing and Link’s breath hitched when he saw what had been placed in the middle of it. 

There, waiting for him on a stoney pedestal, was the Master Sword. 

He watched as the boy ran over towards the weapon, placing his hands on the hilt. The grin turned into a softer smile and familiar blue eyes looked at Link with an understanding and kindness he couldn’t hope to grasp. Link took a hesitating step forward but the boy in green already began to dissolve into golden dust as that melody echoed one more time through the forest. A comforting sense of calmness wrapped around him and Link mirrored the soft smile of his predecessor. 

In a sense a part of him did find its way back home after countless years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here for some emotional forehead touching between the boys, drawn by the-battle-of-our-hearts!](https://the-battle-of-our-hearts.tumblr.com/post/622371971702849536/nothing-special-but-some-lads-for-this)
> 
> [Click here for a small comic about Ravio selling Link as a master wrestler, drawn by shirebeast!](https://shirebeast.tumblr.com/post/622382150384254976/it-was-a-good-thing-that-ravio-wasnt-an-aspiring)
> 
> [Click here for Link adorably spinning Ravio through the air after their victory, drawn by deepwood-art! ](https://deepwood-art.tumblr.com/post/622408564390117376/before-link-could-react-he-was-already-pulled-into)  
>    
> This was one of my favourite chapters to write!  
> So, I found the way you find the Master Sword in botw rather uneventful. You simply followed the flame of your torch and that was it. I already chose to reuse an aspect from TP in an earlier chapter so I decided to take inspiration from OOT.  
> In order to get through the Lost Woods in this chapter, Link had to follow a certain melody that would guide him. Played was said melody by a young boy dressed in green with a wooden instrument. At first I had considered giving Link a fairy as a guide but that seemed too impersonal so I chose the character that is most associated with these woods.  
> And lastly, I chose that phrase of Ravio to finally snap Link out of his trance because that quote represented the first time Link had caught sight of who his friend truly was. With that phrase Ravio had broken through his mask of a merchant and it had been the first glance at a personality that would become so important to him. 
> 
> I apologize for my rambling. Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	27. Your birthright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio is forced to remember one of the most haunting days of his life before he meets a talking tree.

_Taking a shaking breath, Ravio fiddled around with the hem of his tunic. He looked nervously around and when a sage slapped his hand away, the Lolian winced but quickly complied. He put his arms behind his back and stood with a confidence that he wished he actually possessed._

_A lot more people had shown up than Hilda had expected. Ravio recognized a few familiar faces from his trips to Kakariko Village and Castletown, though most of them remained blank expressions of anticipation and expectation. Flexing his sweaty hands, the advisor hated how so many eyes rested on him. Whoever had had the brilliant idea of making this whole sword trial a public event should be thrown out of the kingdom. Ravio was already nervous as it was and he didn’t need onlookers to see him pull a stupid old sword out of a stupid old stone._

_Princess Hilda stood tall and proud at the end of the stone pedestal, welcoming all Loruleans who had made time in their busy schedules to join them on such a historical day. Apparently it had been quite a while since the Hero’s Spirit had last been reincarnated and Ravio bit back the sarcastic snort. Yeah, right, the only thing heroic about him was the speed at which he could run when he was scared._

_Ravio hated being here. He just wanted the ceremony to be over so he could return to the castle and lock himself into his room. He wasn’t the Chosen Hero or the Light in the Darkness or whatever titles the former Ravios had gotten thrown at their heads. He was just a guy with a triangle on his hand, useless in every aspect other than reading. Ravio could ignore the glares of the sages and soldiers all he wanted but he knew that they were all thinking the same._

_He wasn’t a hero, he was just a pathetic coward._

_They had all gathered in the giant garden behind Lorule Castle. The legendary sword that could seal evil’s bane had been sleeping here in the safe shadow of the royal family since the return of their Triforce, and it had been taken care off by the royal Sword Keeper or whatever. Who knew that you could gain an easy paycheck by maintaining a single sword every few days?_

_Flinching when his side was forcefully nudged, Ravio stared up at a sage before noticing that Hilda looked at him. She had her hand outstretched and hesitantly the Lolian took it into his own. She guided him towards the sword and sent him a pointed but sympathetic look before moving to stand by his side._

_“Dear Loruleans! It is now time that the Chosen Hero of Lorule receives his birthright and rises up to the role that the great and kind Goddess Lolia has bestowed on him! Ravio, Hero of our Time, do you accept your destiny?”_

_No, he thought. “Y-Yeah.” he stuttered instead._

_Hilda motioned for him to step forward and with a second delay he did just so. They had practiced this whole ceremony several times and Ravio finally appreciated those annoying hours he had spent in the bright sun. If this procedure hadn’t become ingrained in him he was sure he would have tripped or messed up by now._

_Placing his hand on the hilt, Ravio furrowed his brows. From how the sages had pushed the significance of the sword he had expected to feel… something. A surge of energy, a welcoming emotion, even a shock or whatever. But there was simply nothing. It felt like any other sword he had ever been forced to hold and for a short moment Ravio wondered if they had somehow managed to idolize a common blade while the real Master Sword was used somewhere out there to cut grass._

_He bit his cheek in order to hide the smile._

_Ravio straightened his back and placed his second hand on the sword as well. He took a deep breath and simply focused on the weapon, ignoring everyone else who was staring at him with unblinking eyes. His heart was racing, his hands were sweaty, but Ravio wanted to just get it over with. He began to pull._

_And pull._

_And pull._

_But the sword stayed where it was._

_A haunting realization creeped up on him and Ravio could feel a cold shiver run down his spine. He looked over towards his only friend, his panic barely hidden anymore and her eyes were just as wide and lost as his. He pulled again but his back began to hurt from the strain and force he desperately tried to use. However, his efforts were to no avail and the sword didn’t move at all._

_Ravio wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming wave of laughter and gossip that reached his ears. His body froze in place and he felt like a deer in the eyes of a hunter. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, and the loud sound of his heart was only drowned out by the even louder booing and chuckles of the guard trainees. Ravio absently noticed somebody hurrying over to his side but he flinched away from the touch, causing himself to fall over the pedestal he had been standing on. Wide and teary green met the red eyes of his closest friend but her pity only burned him more. Scrambling to his feet, Ravio ran off the stupid stage and into the masses. He pushed and dodged, ignored the chuckles and words of disappointment, and Hilda’s call for him disappeared alongside himself._

_That night Ravio didn’t return to his room inside the castle. Instead, he slept in a vacant house that just like him had been abandoned by the Goddess._

* * *

Clenching his hands into fists, Ravio gritted his teeth when he saw the Master Sword peacefully resting on its pedestal. He felt a long forgotten bitterness swell within his chest though the merchant locked it away as quickly as it had appeared. Link was slowly walking towards the damned sword and there was little the Lolian could do but follow. The fear and shock of almost losing the Hylian to this Goddess forsaken forest still clung to his bones and Ravio didn’t want to leave Link’s side. 

If he was correct in his assumptions, it had been the Master Sword that had called for Link and had caused all this trouble. It was painfully ironic how Ravio couldn’t escape the weapon’s sense of cruelty and humiliation. He could travel to a different world but the sword would still try and steal every last thing he held dear. First it had laid its eyes on Hilda and now it had almost taken Link from him. 

“Who is that?”

Ravio startled and instinctively moved behind Link, a bitter taste in his mouth the second he realized what he had been doing. He scolded himself for still being that pathetic excuse of a good for nothing who couldn’t even pull a stupid sword out of a stupid stone. 

Link took his hand into his own.

Looking for the source of the voice, Ravio was quick to find a huge tree towering above everything else. It looked incredibly old and when studied closer, the merchant was surprised to make out a face in the trunk. It was mostly hidden behind branches and leaves but the Lolian was sure. 

Hyrule had talking trees.

“Well, well… it’s you.”

It was obvious which one of them the tree addressed and Ravio reluctantly allowed Link to take a step forward without him. _This isn’t a Lolian’s business,_ a thought whispered and this time he had to agree. Ravio was only a spectator though the idea of comparing himself to that crowd from so many years ago sickened him.

“You finally decided to return. Better late than never. After a century I’d nearly given up hope on seeing you again. That look on your face tells me that you have no recollection of me, however. I have watched over Hyrule since time immemorial. Many have referred to me over the ages as the Deku Tree.”

Ravio felt out of place. He knew he shouldn’t be here, knew that this was a personal and intimate moment for Link. It was always a meaningful event when the hero received his birthright. Though it wasn’t like the merchant would know what that felt like.

“That is the weapon created by the ancient Goddess. The sword that seals the darkness — that only the chosen knight can wield against Calamity Ganon. But I must warn you to take extreme caution. The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it.”

Ravio barely had the mind to stop himself from snorting. He noticed the faint sound of bells around him and weird plant-like creatures began to gather around them. They seemed friendly enough though the merchant had never seen them before. It was a hurtful realization that even though Hyrule stood before its own demise, it still offered so much more than his prospering Lorule. He had never realized just how much damage the missing Triforce had actually caused his home.

“As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not… If you sought to free the sword in any sort of weakened state, you would surely lose your life where you stand. Best of luck, young one…”

Green widened and Ravio took a step forward. He broke through his self pity and his mind was sharp as he stepped out of Link’s shadow to stand side by side with him. The closeness to the sword caused an uneasiness but the merchant pushed it away in favor of his worry for his friend.

“Link…” he said softly as he reached for his friend, however he stopped mid air when he saw the determination in those blue eyes. He didn’t want to lose another friend.

“If it’s that dangerous maybe we should return at a later point in time? Maybe once all Divine Beasts have been freed?” Ravio knew he sounded ridiculous. He doubted either of them wanted to ever travel through that forest again and the upcoming battles would most likely be easier with the legendary sword on their side.

And yet Ravio couldn’t contain his disdain.

Sighing in defeat, he averted his gaze even when a hand came to rest on his neck. He refused to look up because he knew the pity that would await him. It had always been pity throughout his whole life. 

“Look, I know everyone expects you to wield this sword and heroically ride into battle. But not everything is as good and pure as it seems. You just heard it yourself, if you are too weak this blade will kill you. I would rather take the odds and fight Ganon with any other weapon than to endanger you. This sword is a burden, Link. It’s not a stupid gift or birthright, it’s a responsibility tied to pain and violence. What good is a weapon that’s supposed to seal evil and yet said evil returns over and over again?” 

His voice became a whisper and he shook his head. Hands were clenched and unclenched as the Lolian continued to avoid his friend’s eyes. “That damn sword took my best friend from me. Since she pulled it out of the pedestal she had become the new Hero of Lorule and she was forced to travel across the kingdom and deal with whatever evil had been born. Link, Hilda almost died because she had been expected to kill a Lynel that had terrorized a village. That sword almost caused my best friend to die because it preferred her over me. I was too weak to be seen as worthy and Hilda had to suffer for my failure.” He took a shaking breath and finally looked up to meet blue, his own eyes desperate and pleading. “We both know that it had been the Master Sword that had called for you. This stupid sword almost took you from me as well, Link. You forgot about me and you were so far gone and I thought I would never get you back and I—” 

The kiss was unexpected. 

Warm arms were wrapped around his neck and Ravio was left with no time to think or worry as he returned the desperate sign of affection. He wrapped his hands around Link’s waist and pulled him closer, his fingers digging into the material of his tunic. The merchant tried to put every doubt and love into this kiss, he needed Link to understand how important he was to him. 

He didn’t notice the tears until Link leaned back to wipe them away. 

Their eyes met and there was so much unadulterated admiration in Link’s that the Lolian couldn’t do anything but look dumbfounded. The Hylian kissed him one more time before he began to sign and Ravio finally listened.

_“I doubted myself for a long time. At first I was nothing but a failed hero who had disappeared when his kingdom had needed him the most. I was struggling with the expectations and judgement of everyone around me. The people thought I would just handle Ganon and be done with it. But no one saw how difficult it was. The nights I spent alone. The fights against monsters I barely survived. I was all by myself. A lonely hero in a ruined kingdom… I didn’t know why I should even bother anymore.”_ Link licked his lips and his eyes softened.

_“And then I heard somebody scream for help. I thought it would just be a quick rescue mission and I would go along my day afterwards. It’s what a hero does, right? He’s useful in a moment of fear but afterwards he’s not needed anymore. But then you began to accompany me and suddenly I wasn’t alone. Endless hours of silence were now filled with a voice and when I thought I had to fight alone you stood by my side. I now had to cook for two and wake you up whenever you wanted to sleep in. I was no longer travelling by myself. But above all else… I wasn’t treated as a hero. You didn’t expect me to be the perfect fighter. You just… You just accepted me the way I was. I felt heard. Not because you knew sign language but because you actually listened.”_

Link smiled, wiping a tear of his own away and Ravio patiently waited for him to continue. Back in Hateno the Hylian had given him the time he had needed to come forth and it was only fair that he would return the kindness. 

_“I never expected to care so much about you. But now I can’t imagine travelling through Hyrule by myself again. And I don’t want to travel alone anymore. You are strong in ways I could never be. You made me realize that I wasn’t just the Hero of Hyrule. I was actually so much more. I was Link. A cook, a collector, an adventurer.”_

The Hylian averted his eyes for a moment as a faint blush creeped onto his neck and cheeks. _“I don’t think I would have been strong enough to draw the sword back then. But I have an idea of who I am now and what I want. I have never felt more at peace with myself and it’s all thanks to you. You are the strength I needed to move on. And if I am allowed to want then I want you to stay with me for as long as you can. I want to be a simple adventurer with you as a merchant by my side.”_

Ravio swallowed thickly as he finished the unsaid promise. “Nothing more, nothing less?”

Link nodded and the Lolian hoped that his friend understood his unconditional love when he placed a lingering kiss on the other’s forehead. Green eyes were closed and Ravio breathed in the comforting scent of his newfound home. A hand rested on his chest and the merchant knew that his feelings were returned even when neither voiced it. 

There was no need to say it out loud.

Reluctantly letting go, Ravio grinned his signature smile as he pushed Link towards the pedestal. 

“We don’t have all day, Mr. Adventurer. Grab that oversized toothpick and let’s get out of here.”

Link smiled at him and nodded, and Ravio knew that they would be okay. His friend was strong enough. If the Master Sword didn’t accept him it truly would have to be mad.

Watching in anticipation, Ravio held his breath when the Hylian put his hands onto the sword just like he had done all those years ago. But the adventurer stood tall and after several tense seconds the sword began to move. Link pulled it out with a swift motion and held it towards the sky, the light reflecting off its perfect blade. The hero lowered the weapon and rested his forehead against it before sheathing the sword. The forest around them seemed to finally breathe out and Ravio allowed himself to relax. Link truly was something else. 

When the Hylian returned to his side, Ravio offered his hand and smiled when the other intertwined their fingers. The blade peaked over a shoulder but Ravio decided that he could deal with its presence for as long as Link would need the sword. 

Ravio might not have been worthy of his own Master Sword but somehow he didn’t mind it as much anymore. After all, he wasn’t defined by his weapon. He was no longer the cowardly hero of Lorule. He was just a simple merchant travelling with the one he cared most about.

And that was enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here for a damn adorable Ravio, drawn by rhiangalaxy!](https://rhiangalaxy.tumblr.com/post/622491846462013441/ravio-from-farbsturz-s-absolutely-lovely-fic%20rel=)
> 
>   
> I know that some of you had hoped for an interesting trial regarding the Master Sword so I apologize for this rather uneventful chapter in regards to any difficulties. Back when I wrote this chapter I considered them getting through the Lost Woods a trial and in combination with Link's newfound convictions I decided that I had spent enough time on this little segment of the story. 
> 
> Also, this is the first and last time Link will ever say that much without a break. I wanted to reveal more about his thoughts from before the story had started and how he viewed himself and his quest, so it was necessary for him to sign more than normally. However, this is the only instance where he truly signs that much. In the end Ravio is the talker and Link is best with gestures. 
> 
> This Lost Woods part may be over but we are not close to Rito Village yet. I hope you guys will enjoy the following chapters as well, there is one more surprise in store before they reach the next Divine Beast. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	28. Live for the moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio take it slow after the events of the Lost Woods. It's time they breathe out and take a break from the hero business. For just a day they allow themselves to be simple travellers.

After leaving the forest, the two friends had begun to head west. Their journey had been slow as it had been raining heavily and when Ravio had had enough, he and Link had decided to look for a place to stay for the night. 

They had found the ruins of an abandoned house and Link was sitting next to his friend now, a blanket covering them both as they hid from the coldness around them. He was freezing but an arm wrapped around his shoulder and the Hylian found himself being pulled against a warm chest. Closing his eyes, Link sighed and tried to absorb the heat from the little campfire Ravio had created. 

They both had gone through so much since they had set off on their quests to save Hyrule and sometimes Link wondered whether they could actually pull it off. He had never been this close to the castle yet and even though the hero tried to avoid looking at it, he couldn’t help but notice the malice surrounding what had once been the center of Hyrule. Its madness and silent screams could be felt from where they were resting and Link buried himself more into his friend’s chest. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if he failed again. Especially because back then he had had the help of not only the other champions but princess Zelda as well. This time it was only the two of them. 

Fingers began to massage his scalp and Link leaned into the sign of affection. He felt tired. Both physically and mentally. That whole forest ordeal had taken a great toll on him and Link wished they could be back in Hateno and see for themselves how Bolson had furnished their house. The Hylian yearned for a normality to his life where he could sleep in, cook, and just do trivial things with Ravio together. He wanted to argue about dinner, wanted to watch Ravio work on a new invention, wanted to fall asleep in each other’s arms knowing they wouldn’t have to leave the next morning. 

“Hey Link?” his friend mumbled and the Hylian lifted his head to look at the merchant. Ravio’s eyes were a beautiful green in the light of the fire and Link felt that familiar warmth spreading through his chest. He nodded to show that he was listening and a happy smile appeared on the lolian’s lips.

“As you know I’m a man of many talents but I was wondering… Seeing as how we are going to stay here for a few more hours… Maybe I could show off some of my amazing shadow plays?” 

There was an emotion in those green eyes that Link couldn’t quite read but he had a feeling that the Lolian knew about his current worries. Knowing Ravio he just had that 6th sense that would tell him whenever he felt uncomfortable and in his own weird ways, the merchant would try to lighten the mood. 

Link was lucky to have somebody like him in his life.

Nodding, the Hylian smiled when Ravio’s eyes sparked with excitement. He went to rummage through his bag and after a few moments he pulled out his fire rod. Link was gently pushed back onto his chest so he could watch the wall across from them and the hero wrapped an arm around his partner, quite content with simply being close. He could hear Ravio’s heartbeat and decided to focus on that rhythmic sound as the Lolian began to set up his little theater. 

Hands were being shaken in order to get rid of any tension and Link could quickly make out the shadow of a bunny on the lit wall. He snorted and nudged his nose against his friend’s neck. _That’s you,_ he tried to say.

The next half an hour was filled with Ravio’s excited storytelling as he tried his best to follow the plot of his tale with shadows on the wall. Some figures would look so bad that Link had to laugh while others left him stunned in awe. He would listen in silence to whatever fairytale his friend would tell him and eventually the exhaustion would catch up to him. Blue eyes fluttered close and Link would fall asleep to the sound of Ravio’s voice, a calming heartbeat under his fingers, and a comforting warmth around him.

He faintly noticed a kiss being pressed to his head.

* * *

Setting off early in the morning was as always accompanied by Ravio complaining about not being able to sleep in. Link did manage to shut him up with a quick peck and when he had offered his hand, the merchant had quickly taken it into his own. 

The two friends had been walking along the Elma Knolls for a while now and Link was thankful for the sunny weather that had accompanied them so far. 

“I’ve got another question.” Ravio said into the silence of the morning and Link squeezed their hands for him to continue.

“Would you rather fight a Lynel sized Cucco or ten Cucco sized Lynels?” 

The Hylian thought for a moment and then lifted two fingers much to the surprise of Ravio. “Seriously? Ten Cucco sized Lynels? But why?” Link snorted and wiggled his hand free to reply. 

_“When I fight Lynels I know what to expect. Based on your stories Cuccos can be unpredictable.”_

A heartwarming laughter rang through his ears and Ravio shrugged his shoulders with a grin. “Good point. Those little creatures were created by Chaos himself, I’m telling you. Evil little things. You accidentally trip over a Cucco once and suddenly you’re an enemy of the state. I avoided Kakariko for a whole month, I’m telling you.”

Snorting loudly, Link looked at his friend with bemused eyes and he only chuckled when Ravio lightly pushed him away. “Yeah, laugh all you want just because your own little chickens are nice. If you ever visit Lorule I will show you the true horror and then it will be me who laughs.”

Blue softened and Link hesitated for a moment before signing the words anyway. _“I would love to visit Lorule with you.”_ Ravio’s eyes widened and after a second or two of several emotions passing over his friend’s face, the Lolian finally settled on hope. “It’s a deal then. I will show you around.” 

The lack of an ‘if’ didn’t go unnoticed and Link smiled to himself.

Once they reached the Rowan Plain, the Hylian was quick to pull Ravio back by his arm. Startled green looked at him and the merchant’s body tensed, expecting an attack at any second. However, the nature around them remained calm and Link noticed how his friend looked at him with a confused expression. Placing a finger on Ravio’s lips, the hero motioned for him to remain quiet.

_“What’s wrong?”_ Ravio signed as he still looked around for any threat. 

_“There’s a team of wild horses.”_ Link replied as he pointed towards the open grassland in front of him. Just in the middle of the field were several horses grazing and the Hylian eyed a brown one with white spots. 

_“So?”_ the merchant asked, seemingly not quite following him yet.

_“I want to tame one. We would be faster by horse and I’m sure you’re also getting tired of walking.”_

Green eyes looked at him with disbelief but Ravio shrugged in agreement. A wild smile appeared on the Hylian’s face and there was a bubbling excitement brooding just underneath his skin. The merchant seemed to hold back his laughter as he patted his shoulder.

_“You okay, buddy? Looking a bit feral there.”_

_“Stay here. Be quiet.”_ Link ordered before he began to silently leave their little hiding spot. He made sure to constantly stay in the blind spot as he approached the horses, not wanting to be spotted until the last second. The Hylian was patient and he only moved a few meters before waiting yet another minute. Breathing calmly, his heart began to pick up its pace when he was finally behind the brown horse he had laid his eyes on. In a practiced motion he jumped onto the horse back and reached for its mane as it neighed loudly, startling the nearby horses into escaping. Clinging to the animal for his dear life, Link grunted and gritted his teeth as it tried to throw him off. He petted its neck whenever he could, and just before his own stamina had been fully drained, the horse calmed down and simply accepted its fate with the Hylian on its back. Link was panting heavily but there was a huge grin on his lips as he used his slate to summon an apple for the horse to feed on. He continued to reassure their new companion with the stroking of its neck and once it seemed calm enough, Link slowly guided it back towards his friend.

Ravio was looking at him with wide eyes and Link felt pride swell within his chest as he offered a hand to his friend in assistance.

“You never cease to impress me, Mr. Hero.” The Lolian said while shaking his head and after a few failed attempts he managed to climb onto the horse’s back behind Link. Familiar arms wrapped around his waist and Link noticed how the merchant rested his head on his shoulder. He leaned in for a kiss and Ravio met him halfway.

“My knight in shining armor finally caught himself a trusted steed.” 

Snorting, Link nudged his nose against his partner’s cheek before taking off. 

Calming the horse from time to time, the two friends eventually made it to the Serenne Stable. Link registered his horse and received a saddle and a bridle in return. He used the following hours to care for his newfound friend as he washed and brushed its fur, plaiting its long and wild mane until it looked decent enough in his eyes. Ravio in the meantime was sitting on a tree stump not too far away and cleaned his items and rods. He had once said something about maintaining them every so often and Sheerow was chirping an unknown song while perched on the merchant’s shoulder. 

It was a peaceful day.

The two friends spent the remaining hours at the stable, neither wanting to travel through the night. Link had taken it upon himself to prepare some hot stew though once the surrounding travellers had noticed his cooking, they had quickly asked for a portion as well. In the end Link and Ravio had found themselves sitting around the cooking pot with a handful of newfound acquaintances and the Hylian listened quietly as everyone told a story or two over their shared food. It was a unique situation he found himself in but Link smiled when Ravio excitedly told the story of how the two of them had taken down a Hinox with the sheer power of friendship and convenient items they had had at hand. None of the strangers knew who they were and Link was grateful for it. Whenever he was asked a question or two Ravio would either reply for him or easily translate. It felt so natural that Link didn’t feel like he was an outsider. He was included in the conversation just as much as everyone else. 

Time passed but the group was still sitting around the fire even when the sun had already set. An arm wrapped around his shoulder and Link felt warm at the open display of affection. The merchant wasn’t worried about their relationship anymore and it had been over a week since the Hylian had last seen the bunny mask. Leaning into the warm chest, Link nuzzled into Ravio’s neck and continued to listen to the stories of the other travellers. 

Link wished for normality in his life. But for now this would be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter isn't anything special but I wanted to give these two a small break. They deserved a chapter in which they could simply calm down and ready themselves for what is to come. The life of a hero is difficult enough as it is, and sometimes you just have to participate in mindless banter or make new friends.  
> \----------
> 
> With this chapter we have officially reached halftime and I would like to take the moment to simply share a few thoughts and to thank you all for still sticking around. 
> 
> When I wrote this fic, I told my partner that I didn't think it would even reach 1k hits at the end of the 56 chapters. I had followed the Link/Ravio tag for a while and I knew how rare new fics were, and how other stories had been abandoned years ago. So when I started writing this fic, I wrote for myself. I wanted to see Ravio put Muzu into place, I wanted Ravio to interact with Naydra, I wanted him to teach magic and impress Link that way. I had a few ideas here and there but anything in between was made up on the spot as I wrote the fic. I had no goal in mind, no end I was working towards. I simply sat down and wrote, and most of my favourite scenes like the hot springs or the Lost Woods were improvised. 
> 
> My point is that when I worked on this fic, I didn't expect it to be read by anybody. And then I started posting and after several updates I would start seeing familiar icons in my comment section, and chapter after chapter they would return and encourage me that maybe, just maybe, others would come to enjoy this fic. 
> 
> And then more people started reading it, new icons would pop up in my inbox and eventually I would receive my first fanart for this fic. I couldn't believe that anyone would take time out of their day to create something for this self indulgent mess of a fic but then others would join in and I would wake up or check my tumblr and see that other users have put time and energy into a drawing for this story. And I know that I will sound like a broken record but I can't thank you guys enough. I have all the art saved and I swap out my phone background every few days, and more often than not I find myself simply staring at the comics and drawings I have received over time.
> 
> From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank every reader, every commenter, and every artist who has ever read even just a single chapter of this fic. I didn't think I could reach 1k hits at the end of the fic and now look at where we are. All of you make me incredibly happy and I don't know what I can do in return for the overwhelming kindness I have been allowed to experience. 
> 
> I am sad that the first half of this fic has already been posted and in a month this journey will be over. But for now I want to thank each and everyone of you. 
> 
> Thank you for giving this story a chance, and thank you for sticking around for so long.
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	29. What slumbers within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link continue their journey and stumble upon a new foe. However, this time Ravio has to fight on his own.

Link went to fetch their horse as the Lolian said his goodbyes to their newfound friends, a heavy feeling in his chest when he waved to them one last time. Using a nearby tree stump and a little help from his hero, the merchant climbed onto the back of the horse. Ravio lazily wrapped his arms around the other and nodded at the silent question. He was good to go.

They were riding through a vast grassland and from time to time the merchant would notice a few wolves here and there, though the animals never tried to attack them. A few travellers on horses rode by them but they continued on, towards the mountains that hid their next destination. 

Rito Village.

Ravio was excited to meet yet another race he had never seen before. Apparently Ritos were supposed to be bird people and he wondered what they would look more like. They were even able to fly and the merchant would love to see one in action. The relationship between Lolians and Zoras had always been complicated so he hadn’t really been able to exchange stories with one but Hyrule allowed him to learn so many new things. Like a sponge he wanted to absorb all that newfound knowledge and take notes for his research and studies. Lorule surely could profit from these revelations as well.

His good mood disappeared at the thought of Hilda. Travelling with Link had made it easy to forget his past but he couldn’t ignore the lump in his throat whenever his mind would wander back to his last days with his best friend. He hadn’t even properly said goodbye or told her how much he had loved her and Ravio was afraid that once he would return home, he wouldn’t be able to tell her anymore. Lolians were known to grow old and from what he had heard so were Hylians but still. Hilda must have been queen of Lorule at some point and the timely death of her father had been evidence enough that a status of power attracted both friends and enemies. 

He prayed to Lolia that Hilda had lived a long and fulfilling life.

It was around afternoon when Link suggested they took a break. It was obvious that in the next few hours they would reach the colder region and the Hylian wanted to prepare a few more cold resistance elixirs for that occasion. Ravio found it difficult to get off the horse after hours of riding and he whimpered at the pain in his legs. Link sent him a questioning glance but the merchant simply waved it off.

“I never really rode a horse before, you know? Being the advisor of the queen earned me a place in the carriage so I’m not really used to all that uncomfortable sitting and stuff you do on a horseback.”

Link snorted, though the Lolian was glad that he was spared any more humiliation. The uncomfortable pain was already going to haunt him for the next hour or two. Once Link had settled down to brew them some homemade elixirs, Ravio walked around to get some feeling back into his legs. They had been riding alongside a canyon for a while now and the merchant couldn’t quite suppress his curiosity. He edged closer to the cliff and looked down, cocking his head when he recognized some kind of building structure below. It resembled a few temples from Lorule but this one seemed to take up a lot of space inside the canyon. Why anyone would build a construction in such an inconvenient place was beyond him.

“Hey, Mr. Hero! Do you know what’s down there?” He called over his shoulder, eyes not leaving that odd landmark. Ravio could hear soft footsteps and a moment later there was a hand on his shoulder as Link carefully peeked over the cliff as well. The Hylian furrowed his brows and reached for his slate. 

“Does it say anything?” Ravio asked impatiently as he looked over his friend’s shoulder. “Forgotten Temple? Yeah, that seems about right. Whoever had the brilliant idea to build a temple inside a literal canyon hopefully got fired.” The Hylian rolled his eyes and Ravio smiled as he wrapped his arm around the other’s neck to place a clumsy kiss on Link’s cheek. 

“Thanks for the information, buddy. I will leave you to your monster guts and spicy peppers again.”

The hero snorted but did turn to leave. However, a sudden rumbling sound caught both their attention and they looked back down towards the forgotten temple. Ravio kneeled down to see better and he noticed that there was a hole inside the architecture, revealing a weird looking statue that reminded him a little of the Divine Beasts. As he moved his hand, a small pebble fell down the cliff and into the damaged roof. 

A moment of silence passed before the rumbling returned and a shiver ran down Ravio’s spine. It sounded like heavy mechanical footsteps. His thought was only confirmed when that statue turned its head and a red light shone straight into their faces. Ravio felt a hand clawing at his arm and a second later he was hitting the ground just as a red beam shot towards the sky. 

He blinked.

Scrambling back onto his feet, Ravio quickly backed off alongside Link as the sound of something tearing into the rocky cliff echoed through the canyon. Green eyes were wide and the merchant felt his heart race as Link dragged him back to the horse but they were too slow. A mechanical spider rose from the cliff and its red eye was focused on the two travellers. 

“What is that thing?!” Ravio yelled as he ran alongside his friend. That spider was freaking fast. It would catch up to them any minute and panic began to arise in his chest. Shielding his head as another red beam barely missed them, Ravio tore the glove off his hand and glared at his birthmark. “Help us, damn it!”

The Triforce stayed quiet, of course.

Growling under his breath, Ravio was suddenly yanked behind Link. His friend had pulled out a knight’s shield and he was standing protectively in front of the merchant, his boots buried in the ground for more footing. The mechanical statue came to a stop and its red eye seemed to absorb energy. 

His friend couldn’t be planning on…

Ravio’s heart stopped when he realized the other’s plan. “Link, please, you can’t be stupid enough to…” But blue eyes silenced him immediately. He could hear his heartbeat ringing in his ears but Ravio simply nodded as he began to rummage through his bag for any item that could be helpful. His fingers were trembling and the Lolian cursed.

The red beam was almost fully charged. 

Squinting his eyes shut, Ravio shielded his head and turned away. He trusted the Hylian with his life and if they were to die right here, well, he had had a good but short life.

The mechanical spider shot its red beam straight at them. The incoming heat washed over the two travellers and a second later Ravio was pushed off his feet as Link’s body collided with his. They were thrown several meters and the merchant cried out when he landed on his back, Link heavy on his chest. His head throbbed from the impact and the merchant desperately tried to blink the white spots away as a loud ringing drowned anything else out. He sat up and noticed how the shield of his friend smoked, most likely from the impact of the beam. Link whimpered in his arms and Ravio checked him for any injuries. He was bruised and scratched up, his arm bleeding. 

Shit.

“Hey, buddy, can you move? We need to get away as quickly as possible.” Ravio’s voice was gentle but urgent. He lightly shook Link’s shoulder, trying to get a reaction out of the hero.

But Link didn’t budge.

Shaking him harder, Ravio’s blood ran cold when he noticed the terrified expression on the Hylian’s face. Blue eyes were wide open and glassy, and Link looked frozen in place. His breathing was uneven and fast, and the merchant realized with a start that his friend was having a panic attack. 

“Link? Link, come on, we don’t have time for this.” His own voice sounded shrill and Ravio moved to kneel in front of his friend, hoping to snap him out of it but to no avail. Link was staring straight through him and clutched his chest as if he had breathing difficulties. Ravio had never seen the Hylian this terrified and it scared him.

Taking a deep breath, the merchant closed his eyes. His hand began to glow faintly as he flipped a switch, causing all his emotions to be drowned out until they were barely a whisper. The Lolian’s expression turned blank and when he stood up again, his eyes were focused on the spider-like creature. It was once again charging its beam and Ravio tightened his hold on his bag as he began to sprint away from Link. 

He ran as fast as he could, easily dodging any rocks or uneven grounds. The merchant reached for his bow and arrow, and shot once, twice, at the monster to get its attention. Just as he had planned it turned to look at him with its angry eye and Ravio sprinted towards the rocky wall to their right. A quick glance towards the Hylian told him that Link still hadn’t snapped out of his fear, if the way he clung to his tunic was any indication. Ravio’s mind was mentally racing through his inventory and he tried to calculate the best way to take this thing down before it could do any more harm. Fire, wind and ice were most likely useless against its thick armor and the ground was too solid for his sand rod. Neither his hookshot nor the hammer would do him any good either. He gritted his teeth as he was running out of options. The Master Sword was most likely their best chance but Ravio couldn’t wield it and Link was in no position to fight.

Something had to be done.

Coming to a sudden stop, dust swirled around him as he aimed at the red eye of the spider. He breathed onto his bow and shot straight into bullseye. 

The arrow fell uselessly to the ground, barely any damage done at all.

“Link!” Ravio yelled and his voice echoed off the cliffs. “Snap out of it! I know you’re scared but I need you!” 

Jumping behind a bigger boulder, the merchant barely avoided being fried alive. He took a shaking breath and readied another arrow when he peeked over the stone. His face paled upon realizing that the mechanical spider had lost its interest in him.

It was heading towards Link.

Ravio didn’t think when he pushed himself over the rock, running towards his friend as fast as he could. The light of his Triforce grew in its intensity but the merchant couldn’t concentrate. He had turned his emotions off and yet there was so much terror tearing at his entire being, threatening to snap his heart in half. Ravio couldn’t focus on anything, his fingernails bit into the wood of his bow as he ran faster than ever before.

The creature came to a stop in front of Link and its eye began to recharge.

He had barely any seconds left.

Screaming from the top of his lungs, Ravio pushed his body past its limit. Time seemed to slow down as he ran past the creature and slid in front of Link, boots digging into the ground to stop his arrival. He was kneeling on one leg and pulled the bowstring back, his arrow barely two meters away from the creature. Its eye glowed with the radiating heat of an incoming beam and Ravio took aim.

The creature was about to shoot.

Releasing the arrow, Ravio screamed as an explosion of gold bathed everything in white. He was gritting his teeth, breathing heavily and the merchant waited for the pain and heat to eat him alive.

But the impact never came. 

The golden light slowly dissolved and Ravio furrowed his brows when his body was still fully intact. The mechanical spider stood in front of them but it simply stared unmoving with its blue eye.

Wait a moment… blue?

Ravio blinked in confusion when his attention was drawn to what had once been his bow. The familiar appearance of his weapon had changed in its entirety and what once had been carved out of simple wood was now covered in what he thought to be gold. Even its string was radiating a faint warmth. He hesitantly pulled the bowstring back and an arrow made of pure light appeared between his fingers. 

He had never seen this bow before and yet holding it felt as natural as breathing.

The rustling of clothes pulled him out of his bafflement and Ravio forgot about the weapon as he turned to check up on his friend. Link still looked pale but his eyes were finally focused and there was both fear and wonder reflected in them. 

Ravio couldn’t help himself, he started crying.

He pulled Link into a clumsy kiss as he tightly held onto the Hylian. His own breathing was trembling but he was alive,  _ Link  _ was alive and the relief he felt was almost too much to handle. “I-I thought you’d… I don’t know what I’d have done if…” Another kiss shut him up and Ravio whimpered.

They rested their foreheads together and after several deep breaths the merchant looked back towards the unmoving creature that simply watched him. He growled weakly and glared at it with all the hatred he could muster.

“Leave us alone.”

And to his and Link’s surprise, the spider actually complied. It made several clicking noises before its mechanical legs began to slowly move away from them, coming to a final stop quite the distance away.

“Just what in Din’s name is that freak?” Ravio mumbled and there was a tug on his sleeve. The Hylian was shaking badly but he forced himself to sign the words that would haunt Ravio forever.

_ “That is a guardian. And his kind killed me 100 years ago.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the surprise I hinted at a few chapters ago! 
> 
> This is the reason why I decided against giving Ravio the Master Sword. I just never saw him as a close combat fighter, so instead I gave him a different legendary weapon to master. After all, I left enough clues that he was a formidable archer, why not go a step further and grant him a bow created by the Goddess herself? He doesn't need an old and rusty sword to be a hero, he can be unique enough to get something else in order to fight alongside Link.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	30. My birthright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio leave that Goddess forsaken temple behind and wonder about the meaning of that strange bow.

Link didn’t want to remember. It hurt too much. His head was already throbbing and it felt as if a weight pressed down onto his chest, preventing him from taking a single steady breath. He felt as if he was dying all over again and blue eyes snapped over to where the guardian rested every so often. 

A cold hand came to rest on his neck and before he knew it, he was pulled against a familiar chest, arms wrapped around him protectively. Ravio’s head was placed on top of his and the humming of an unknown melody filled his ears. Link quietly hiccuped and the arms only strengthened their hold.

“You’re alive, Link. You're alive and you're safe. I won’t let it hurt you.” 

And the Hylian desperately wanted to believe him.

He couldn’t wrap his head around what had just happened. One moment he was reliving his last moments and the next Ravio was in front of him. And then that weird light. Whatever his friend had done, it had somehow calmed the guardian enough to remain at least neutral towards them. 

Trembling hands held onto Ravio’s tunic as Link quietly listened to the Lolian’s breathing. He tried to match it with his own and after quiet minutes he felt calm enough to lean back a bit. His friend reluctantly allowed him to move and once their eyes met, cold fingers wiped his remaining tears away. It was such a gentle and delicate gesture that Link managed to smile weakly. 

“I want you to listen closely.” Green were kind but serious, and Link found himself nodding. “This story is yours to either tell or keep. I will never press you to tell me anything. I understand the severity of the threat that these Guardians pose now and that’s all I needed to know. Do you understand?” Ravio looked with an intensity and the Hylian once again nodded. Tension left the merchant’s shoulders and a kiss was placed onto his forehead.

“You are the strongest person I know… It’s okay to be scared, you don’t have to explain yourself.” 

Link’s eyes fluttered close. What he had done to deserve Ravio, he didn’t know, but he thanked Hylia all the same. He appreciated that his friend didn’t press for information because he was sure he wouldn’t be able to formulate those specks of memories into anything coherent. Whenever the Hylian remembered something he would be left with a bitter taste and the aching pain of a long gone friendship. It had been the same when he had remembered Mipha or dreamed of the other champions. Sometimes a small selfish part of him wondered whether he would be better off with no memories at all but Link would always push that thought away. He needed to remember so he could grieve and tell their stories.

“Let’s leave this place, okay? I’m just itching to reach the mountains so I can freeze my butt off. Besides, your horse is waiting impatiently as well. What did you call it again?”

Link managed to smile softly at his friend’s attempt of distracting him. 

_“Spot.”_

Ravio snorted. “And you called me out for wanting to name our house ‘Ravio’s Shop’. Clearly bad naming skills are a requirement for every hero.”

The merchant helped him back onto his feet and even though his legs were still trembling, he managed to carry his own weight. Link watched in silence as Ravio went to pick up that unfamiliar bow and he cocked his head in question. The Lolian bit his lip and seemed to look at his Triforce before placing the weapon onto his back. Link noticed that the bow wasn’t put into the bag like every other item. 

“Don’t ask me, I’m just as clueless as you are. But whatever happened to my bow… I think it got rid of the malice that had corrupted that guardian thing.”

They both looked over towards the mechanical creature and Ravio motioned for him to stay where he was. Link had half a mind to stop his friend but he withdrew his hand midair. The merchant walked over to the guardian and after a few seconds it made those clicking sounds again before disappearing into the opposite direction. Ravio returned to his side and took a gentle hold of his hand as he led them back towards Spot.

He nudged Ravio’s side for an answer.

“I ordered it to stay in this region and to defend animals and travellers from any monsters. I also threatened to turn it off entirely if it causes any harm.”

Link blinked in surprise but didn’t try to ask anything else. He was sure the two of them had a lot to think about and his priority was to calm Spot down with a few apples so they could continue their travel. After helping Ravio back up onto the horse’s back, the two friends left the forgotten temple behind and Link found himself breathing easier. 

They rode in mostly silence but the Hylian didn’t mind. Ravio had his head placed on his shoulder and arms lazily wrapped around his waist. Their physical contact was enough to keep Link grounded and he leaned into the warmth of his partner. 

“You know…” Ravio eventually mumbled under his breath, tickling the Hylian’s neck in the process. “I think I know what that bow is… Though I have only heard about it in that Hyrule legend… Apparently the Hero of Hyrule defeated the evil magician with the help of a weapon born from the Goddess’ own light. His princess had granted him a Bow of Light and with it he had managed to stun the enemy long enough to finish him off with the Master Sword…” 

The Lolian seemed lost in his thoughts as he began to play around with Link’s tunic. “From what I remember that was the only instance Lorule had ever seen that bow though. It was such a little detail that I never wasted another thought over it. After all, the Master Sword was supposed to be the star among the weapons.” He hid his face in Link’s neck.

“I wonder why it showed up now. Maybe Hylia does watch over you and I was her only emergency plan.” 

Furrowing his brows, Link shook his head. He nudged his friend to look up and began to sign in front of his chest for the other to see. _“Stop talking yourself down. You have proven yourself over and over again, you need to stop listening to what others once told you. You are not a coward and you are not useless either. You are so much more and I wish you could see that.”_

He stopped Spot and after a bit of moving he managed to turn around to face his friend. His brows were furrowed and he looked serious as he pointed towards the merchant’s hands. _“You said it yourself, the Master Sword is a burden. Accepting the sword means accepting violence as a solution to your problems. It means agreeing to fight. And if I had to guess I would say this is the reason why you couldn’t pull it.”_

Link took a cold hand into his own and placed it onto his chest before continuing. _“You are not a fighter, Ravio. You are a healer. You prevent conflicts, you don’t end them. You don’t act before thinking. Your hands aren’t meant to end lives, they are meant to create and help. What weapon would suit you better than one that stuns and expels evil?”_ His blue eyes softened and he cupped Ravio’s cheek, running his thumb over freckled skin before pulling back again.

_“You didn’t draw the Master Sword not because you weren’t worthy but because it wasn’t your weapon to wield. I’m sure your version of the blade knew this. You don’t save people by slaying monsters, you rescue them with your words and empathy.”_

Ravio’s eyes widened and he began to tremble, tears running down his cheeks as he wore a look of recognition. 

“She had once said I’d saved her not from enemies but from intrusive thoughts… She said I was like a light to her, that I wasn’t meant to be the leading hand but… but the thought behind an action…” 

Link couldn’t quite follow the mumbled words of his friend but when Ravio pulled him into a desperate hug, the Hylian returned it immediately. The merchant was crying and he clung to him as if his life depended on it. However, with a start Link realized that his partner wasn’t sad. 

He was laughing in between hiccups. 

“That sly Hilda…” the Lolian whispered into his shoulder “She was such an ass, why… Why didn’t she just tell me upfront? Leaving me to figure everything out.” 

Ravio suddenly pulled back and Link was greeted by a brilliant smile and teary eyes. The merchant was still laughing and there was so much unadulterated happiness in green that Link was taken aback. His hand was grabbed and the Lolian covered his knuckles in kisses. 

“You both are right, Link. I’ve always compared myself to those legendary heroes but I don’t have to try to be like them, it’s okay to do things my way.” 

He blinked dumbfoundedly and simply nodded as the sudden change of mood caught him off guard. Link wondered if that princess Hilda had once told him something similar. 

“Thank you, Link. Thank you so much.” When Ravio leaned in, the Hylian met him halfway. It was a kiss so full of love and admiration that Link couldn’t help but return the intensity of those emotions with his own. 

_“What did I do?”_ he finally signed and Ravio laughed as he rubbed their noses together in an affectionate gesture.

“You made me realize that I don’t have to be like all the other heroes before me.”

Leaning in for another kiss, Ravio mumbled against his lips.

“I’m not worthless. I’m simply different.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we got the 'canon' reason as to why Ravio was unable to draw the Master Sword. Like Link has said, Ravio is worthy of wielding it but his personal beliefs prevent him from doing so. A sword simply doesn't suit him and that's fine. 
> 
> Also if anyone is curious, what Ravio is referring to is dialogue from chapter 1 of this fic. Here is the paragraph he is talking about:
> 
> “You may not know it but you have saved me countless times. Not from enemies on the battlefield but from intrusive thoughts when I was alone with my responsibilities. You were always the light that would shine in even the darkest days and when I could see nothing but an upcoming war you were there to show me my options. You were never meant to be the leading hand but rather the thought behind an action. What Hyrule needs is not a hero with a shining sword, they already got that one… What they need is optimism and somebody who can grasp the bigger picture.”
> 
> Talk about a callback, huh?
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	31. The sky's the limit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link finally reach Rito Village.

_Resting his head on his arms, a 9 year old Ravio pouted as his best friend took her sweet damn time. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the table as his legs swang loosely, not quite touching the ground yet. The Lolian released another loud sigh and was rewarded with a light slap to his head._

_“Ouch, Hildy!” the boy whined when he rubbed the sore spot on his head. He glared at the princess but she ignored him as she continued to paint that lame wooden mask. They had been sitting here for at least an hour already and he just wanted to leave and do something!_

_“I’m almost done, Rav, stop being so impatient!”_

_He stuck his tongue out but knew better than to complain again. Another five minutes passed until the princess squealed in excitement and a moment later a mask was held up as if it was a precious item._

_“There! All done!”_

_The princess proudly showed off her creation and Ravio simply stared unimpressed. “First of all, that mask is way too big for my face, Hildy!” He raised his arms in exaggeration. “Besides, I don’t like purple! And rabbits are lame!” Green eyes glared at the paint covering the wood. The mask was purple with yellow and blue eyes drawn on it, while rabbit teeth decorated the lower half. The little boy showed his displeasure with another pout as he crossed his arms._

_“What do you mean!” Hilda said with a high pitched voice and the two friends glared at each other until Ravio had to look away first. He hated eye contact. “Your teeth make you look like a fluffy bunny! And they are all soft and nice! Just like you!”_

_“But rabbits are lame! Everyone else will have a cool mask, I can’t show up with something as lame as this!” Ravio pointed towards the mask though he flinched when Hilda began to tear up. She sniffed loudly and put the mask back down to rub her eyes. His heart dropped and he hurried over to her side, awkwardly patting her head. “Fine, I will wear it. But if anyone makes fun of me you better throw them into the dungeon!” The girl immediately lightened up and threw her arms around his neck, much to his uneasiness. “I knew you would come around! Tears always work on you!”_

_The boy blinked before his eyes widened and he pushed his friend away. “You weren’t actually crying?” he asked with bewilderment and Hilda simply stuck her tongue out. “Of course not! I’m a princess, I don’t cry!” She laughed loudly when he tried to grab her but the girl had already jumped off the chair to run from him. “Come back here, you princess of lies!” Ravio yelled as they ran through the corridors of the castle, Hilda’s excited laughter echoing through the halls. “Catch me, rabbit!”_

* * *

Tracing the faint paint on his mask, Ravio looked up from his position on the stable’s bed as Link finally returned. He was covered in snow and his face was red from the cold but it seemed like the elixirs had kept him mostly warm. The Hylian shook himself like a wet dog and after he got rid of most of the snow he fully entered the warm and comfortable stable. Ravio let his mask slide back into his bag as he moved to create some space, already lifting the blanket for his friend to sneak under.

Link was incredibly cold and Ravio shivered when they bumped into each other. He removed his scarf in order to wrap it around his friend and once they were both satisfied with their newfound positions, Ravio leaned his head on the other’s shoulder.

“Did you find the Sheikah Tower?” he mumbled softly and Link nodded. The hero pulled out his slate and opened the map, pointing towards several islands in a lake. The place wasn’t too far away. “That’s Rito Village?” Another nod. Intertwining their hands, Ravio ran a thumb over cold skin as he tried to share as much body heat as he could.

“So we found the Divine Beasts in a rainy environment, in a literal volcano and now in a cold mountain. Please tell me the fourth one is at a nice beach and will offer us some coconuts to drink from.” Link snorted as he wrapped an arm around Ravio, causing the Lolian to shiver slightly. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Desert and stuff. But a man can dream, right?”

They enjoyed each other’s company for a while as Sheerow hopped around the bed, chirping a melody from time to time. The two travellers had agreed to only stay for a few hours before continuing in hopes of reaching the village within the following day. The sooner they reached the town the sooner they could actually rest and buy new ingredients. 

The Master Sword and Bow of Light were resting against a wall and when Ravio looked at them, they almost seemed like ordinary weapons. He hadn’t quite understood yet why the bow had come to him but Link had suggested that it had been because of his self sacrificing action. Ravio wasn’t sure if he agreed but whatever the reason, he was thankful. There was only so much limited magic he could use in a fight and having a weapon he could trust in calmed his anxiety significantly. He could finally be useful both in and out of battle.

_“Tell me about Hilda.”_ Link signed all of a sudden and Ravio blinked dumbfoundedly. He looked up towards his friend and soft blue silently encouraged him. The merchant wasn’t sure if he wanted to but his best friend deserved to be told about. Taking Link’s hand into his own, he began to play around with his fingers.

“Hilda, she was… incredible. She was one of a kind. Stubborn, loud, rude, impolite, snarky…” He laughed softly. “But she was also so kind, empathetic, patient, and especially protective. Whatever she held dear she fought for until the bitter end. After a few boys had once insulted and threatened me because I had accidentally tripped and spilt water over them, she had beaten them up. You should have seen her, Link. She took on three boys at the same time who were all taller than her and she actually won. They had no idea who she was, all they saw was that feral girl that bit and scratched and played dirty. And after they had run away, she had turned to me with a big grin.” His eyes softened greatly and he leaned against Link’s shoulder, taking a deep breath. “She was the reason the castle ever felt like home. But after the death of her father she became quieter. She couldn’t allow herself to be carefree anymore and with each day she rose up to the challenge of being a queen though in return she had to sacrifice the little time we used to spend together. We became distant and even after she had made me her advisor, we never went back to how we once were…” 

A hand found its way into his dark hair and Ravio closed his eyes as he focused on the heartbeat he could faintly hear. “I loved her, Link. She was my sister and my family and there is not a day where I don’t regret the way we parted. We both had thought it would only take me a year or two to return. We never expected to be separated by generations… I should have told her how much she meant to me. I just want to reverse time and tell her everything I failed to do that day.” 

The nice contact disappeared and Ravio cracked an eye open to see Link signing. _“I’m sure she knew. You are never hiding your emotions, I’m positive she knew how you felt about her.”_

Ravio wanted to believe him. He smiled and leaned up to kiss Link’s jaw. “You know, I think you two would have gotten along quite well. You both have something feral about yourself. And she too was pretty interested in my magic rods. I did always suspect that she secretly was an arsonist.”

The chest he was resting against shook with silent laughter and Ravio joined his friend. He felt surprisingly good and sat up to properly kiss his partner. “I missed talking about her… thank you, Link.” Beautiful blue stared back and the Hylian rubbed their noses together. _I’m here for you,_ the gesture said. 

* * *

Rito Village was like a huge treehouse without a tree, Ravio decided when they arrived. It was made of several open houses that wound around a tall rock formation and the further the two friends went, the higher it got. Link sent him a small glance when he reached for his tornado rod but the Lolian only nodded. As long as he didn’t look down he should be able to keep his fear at a minimum, though he would rather be prepared for the worst. 

Ritos were a fascinating race. Ravio had never seen anything like them before and he found himself staring more often than not. The first time a Rito had jumped off a platform to fly away had scared the crap out of him. 

Link led him towards the local armor shop. They only had so many elixirs left and Ravio certainly wouldn’t say no to warmer clothes. They each bought a snowquill set and the merchant was quick to avert his gaze when Link started to change right there in the shop. After some initial hesitation he finally followed suit and sighed in relief when the cold temperatures finally became bearable. 

Turning to his friend, Ravio admired the new look. He couldn’t help but reach out and touch the feather that rested in blond hair before moving to cup the other’s cheek. “Hello there, beautiful.” the merchant whispered with a grin. Blue eyes were rolled but his friend was smiling as well. _“Speak for yourself.”_ He pulled the Hylian into a lazy kiss though quickly pulled away when the shopkeeper began to chuckle. Taking his friend’s hand, Ravio dragged him away and he just knew his face was a bright red.

Link was quietly laughing. 

It was pretty easy to find the elder of the Ritos. Kaneli, as he had introduced himself, was an elderly owl who resided at the top of the village. 

“Champion descendant… If you would listen to this old man’s request, you would have my eternal gratitude.” 

“Of course we will listen, what has been troubling you?” Ravio answered for the Hylian.

“How should I put it…” The Rito thought for a while before continuing. “Only a chosen one, a champion, can stop a Divine Beast. You must enter the beast and bend it to your will.”

Nudging his friend’s side, the merchant bit back a smile. “Trust us, we have a little bit of experience with Divine Beasts, Sir. Just tell us what we need to do and we will help out, no problem.”

“Oh, thank the Goddess. I tried explaining this to the more headstrong Rito warriors, but no one would listen to reason. Two of my soldiers, Teba and Harth, tried to confront Vah Medoh all by themselves but it did not go well, and Harth was injured. Teba escaped unscathed, but I fear he now plans to face Medoh alone. Please, you need to find him. If you work together, you may be able to stop Vah Medoh.”

“And where can we find this Teba guy?”

* * *

Finding Teba was easy. Convincing him to join forces with two wingless strangers? A little more difficult. However, after Link had shown off his archery skills the birdie had to admit that they might have a shot at defeating Medoh. 

It turned out that the most difficult task was to get to the Divine Beast. Like a bird it circled the sky high above Rito Village and while Teba could carry one passenger at most, it once again meant that Ravio would have to stay behind. 

It never sat right with him to let Link break through the defenses by himself. 

Sighing heavily, the two friends stood on the platform from which Link and Teba would take off. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that his tornado rod could take him all the way into the sky and he rested his forehead against the Hylian’s as they held hands. The Rito was tapping his foot impatiently but Ravio ignored him. 

“Don’t be reckless. Don’t try anything stupid. Don’t overdo yourself. And don’t underestimate your enemy.” the Lolian whispered against lips and Link nodded dutifully. “Retreating is not a sign of weakness so back out if you need more time to prepare.” Another nod. Ravio intertwined their fingers and kissed his friend one more time.

“And most importantly… come back to me in one piece.” 

The hero sent him a soft smile and nudged his nose before finally letting go. Ravio wrapped his arms around himself and watched as Link climbed onto Teba’s back before they finally took off. He stayed frozen in place until they became but a small speck in the sky. 

Sheerow chirped on top of his head.

“I know, buddy. But still, I would rather be up there with him, fear be damned.”

Sitting down on the wooden platform, Ravio leaned back onto his arms as he stared up towards the Divine Beast. No matter how long it would take, he would wait until Teba would come to fetch him. 

Until then he could do nothing but believe in Link’s skills.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time! 
> 
> [Click here to see Ravio facing the guardian with the Bow of Light, drawn by magical-girl-04!](https://magical-girl-04.tumblr.com/post/622814181683609601/oop-heres-ravio-with-his-light-bow-facing-off)  
> 
> 
> Not gonna lie, I don't like this chapter a lot. I apologize for jumping around so much, when it comes to Rito Village the idea I had planned for it was taking place after the Divine Beast so I pretty much turned this chapter into a speedrun in order to get to the scene I had actually wanted to write. I promise this is the only instance where I rush several plot points and I can only hope that chapter 33 will make up for it. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	32. The fight against Vah Medoh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link destroys Vah Medoh's defense system and takes on the next Divine Beast.

Closing his eyes, Link took a deep breath as they rose into the sky. The wind ruffled his hair like an old friend and the Hylian smiled at the rush of freedom that washed over him. Rito Village looked so small from up here and all his worries seemed so far away. There were no Lynels up here, no monsters or assassins. 

Link allowed himself to breathe out.

“All right. It’s showtime.” Teba said and Link quickly sobered up. He wasn’t up here to have fun, as always he had a duty to fill. Besides, Ravio was waiting for him and he didn’t want to make the Lolian wait for longer than necessary. Shifting his weight, Link tapped the shoulder of the Rito to indicate that he was listening.

“There’s the Divine Beast Vah Medoh…” Teba flew a bit closer and a pink shield appeared around the mechanical bird, protecting it from any unwelcome visitors. Link narrowed his eyes and spotted the different cannons that seemed to be responsible for the defense.

“It has its barrier up again. What a pain…” The Rito looked over his shoulder and raised a brow in mockery. “What’s wrong, Link? Too scared to talk?” Blue narrowed and he lightly smacked Teba’s head, though it only earned him a chuckle. 

“Let’s go over the plan one more time. I’ll draw the fire of the cannons while you destroy them with your bomb arrows. Got it so far?” Link tapped his shoulder again. “If you need to withdraw, just use your glider and float up in the updraft for a while. And don’t bother aiming for anything that’s covered in the thick layer of the barrier. It’s impenetrable.” Another tap. 

“Let’s get this party started, go and blow up those damn cannons!”

Pushing himself off the Rito’s body, Link jumped as high as he could before pulling his glider out. The cold air tore at his gear and he quietly thanked his past self for buying a set of warmer clothes. His cheeks were a rosy red as his breath became visible but Link ignored any discomfort as he glided over to the first cannon. Swapping his glider for his bow, time seemingly slowed down as he took aim. The Hylian felt weightless and he narrowed his eyes as he lined the shot up.

He let go and watched as his bomb arrow hit the first cannon straight on, causing a small explosion. Link barely pulled his glider out before a blue beam was shot at him, however the updrift tore him out of harm’s way and into the safety of the sky. 

The next half an hour became a blur of gliding, shooting, and dodging. Whenever Link would need a break, Teba would allow him to rest on his back and once ready, the Hylian would return to their little battlefield between clouds. Each cannon needed several hits until it finally went down but the Rito did his best to pull most of the attention towards him. Once the last defensive unit was sufficiently hit, Link watched in satisfaction as the pink barrier broke apart. The majestic Divine Beast was finally weakened enough for him to enter.

“Well done, Link!” Teba yelled over the wind. “That thing is history!” 

Preparing his landing, Link slowly glided over to Vah Medoh and safely fell on top of its back. His legs were a little shaky but he was relieved to have solid ground back under his feet. The Hylian wiped the sweat off his forehead and watched as Teba flew over to him, however Link could tell that the Rito must have been hit in their battle as one of his legs struggled to stay in position. 

“Bad news, Link. It looks like I got hit pretty bad back there… I think… I think I need to return to Rito Village.” The Hylian furrowed his brows in worry and nodded. He could see how much the idea of leaving pained the Rito but there was no other solution.

“I just hope that… I can make it back.”

There was so much sadness and doubt in his worry that Link began to look through his slate. He pulled out a red potion and stamina elixir, offering both to Teba. Blue eyes were determined as he pushed the bottles into the Rito’s arms and he didn’t accept a ‘no’ for an answer even when Teba tried to brush his worry off.

_“Thank you for your help.”_

It was clear that the Rito didn’t understand him but his expression must have been enough. The stoic face morphed into a smile and Teba nodded as he rearranged the bottles in his arms. 

“Take care, Link. I will make sure that your friend will join you soon.”

He watched as Teba downed both drinks and a moment later the Rito jumped off the back of the Divine Beast. Link was once again left alone and he sighed softly, running a hand through his messy hair. His fingers touched the feathers of the snowquill headdress and the Hylian remembered the embarrassed face of Ravio as he had pulled them out of the shop.

Right, he wasn’t truly alone.

Turning towards the entrance of Vah Medoh, the hero took a deep breath as he finally entered the beast. He might as well look for the map and start working on activating the terminals.

* * *

Link was currently trying to figure out the puzzle for the second terminal when a voice echoed through the Divine Beast.

“Sir Link?”

It wasn’t a voice he recognized but the Hylian hurried back to the entrance anyway, greeted by the sight of an unknown Rito and a Ravio clinging to his back. The Rito seemed still rather young and he sent Link an apologetic smile.

“I’m so sorry for interrupting your important work but your… your friend is refusing to let go.”

The Rito pointed to his back where Ravio was cowering, hands clearly tense as he held onto the bird’s clothes for dear life. Blue eyes softened immensely and Link simply shook his head. He felt so much affection for the Lolian, knowing that his friend was terrified of heights and yet he had come all the way up here to support him. Closing the distance, Link ran a hand through black hair, trying to massage some of the tension away. He noticed how the merchant’s shoulders dropped slightly. Next up was a low whistle and after several seconds of silence green eyes finally cracked open to look at him. Link sent his friend a genuine smile and gently began to loosen Ravio’s hold on the Rito. Green were focused on him throughout the task and once the Lolian had stopped his clinging, Link opened his arms which were quickly being filled by the trembling body of his friend. 

_“Thanks.”_ Link signed and the Rito nodded before taking off once again. 

It took a moment or two but eventually the Hylian managed to guide Ravio inside the Divine Beast. He looked for a secluded corner and helped his friend to sit down. Cold hands clung to his tunic and Link kneeled down in front of the merchant as he took those shaking hands into his own, placing kisses onto the knuckles.

Ravio attempted to smile.

“I’m sorry, I… I don’t want to be a burden.”

But Link only shook his head. He leaned into the Lolian’s hand and placed a kiss on its palm, eyes never leaving green. It was clear that Link tried to distract the merchant and when he leaned in for a proper kiss, he was met halfway. Their fingers intertwined and Ravio hummed before resting their foreheads together.

_“Stay here. Rest.”_ The Hylian signed though he quickly raised a hand to stop the merchant from interrupting. _“You did all the work in Vah Rudania. I already explored a little, I can activate the terminals myself. Wait for me and just rest for a while.”_

The Lolian sighed but judging by his pale face it was obvious that he was in no condition to walk around freely. Ravio bit his lip but eventually nodded. He wasn’t stubborn enough to fight when it was clear how much the height got to him.

Link placed a lingering kiss on his friend’s forehead and rewrapped the scarf to make it cozier. _“I will be careful. I promise.”_ Ravio reluctantly let go of his hand and Link forced himself to enter the nearest room. If it had been up to him he would have stayed for hours by the merchant’s side in order to comfort him. 

Link was relieved to find out that these puzzles weren’t as annoying as some of the others they had already encountered. With the help of his runes and glider he managed to activate most terminals without a problem and even the ones where he had to think for a while weren’t too much of a hindrance at the end of the day. Maybe his mind worked faster and sharper because he wanted to return Ravio to the ground, or because it was easier to work around mechanics based on wind and air. 

Whatever it was, Link was glad when he finally reached the last terminal.

Returning to the main room, Link found Ravio quietly talking to Sheerow. The bird had made itself comfortable on his knees and whatever the animal was chirping, it caused his friend to chuckle. Their eyes met and Ravio pushed himself off the floor, using a wall for support. He was still just as pale but at least the shaking had disappeared for now.

_“All done.”_ Link simply signed. _“Do you want to wait here while I activate the main unit?”_

Ravio shook his head and when he offered one of his hands, Link took it into his own. They slowly began to leave the safety of the Divine Beast’s body in order to make their way to its open back. The cold air hit them straight on and Ravio began to tremble.

“I’m… I’m fine.” 

He wasn’t fine but Link appreciated the attempt at bravery. He led his friend over to a wall from which they could see the main unit and gently pushed his friend back into a sitting position.

_“You can play backup from over here. Most of your weapons are long range anyway, there is no need for you to get any closer to the edge.”_

Ravio was about to protest but something seemingly stopped him. Instead of speaking up, the Lolian reached for Link’s neck and pulled him into a slow kiss. It was affectionate and loving, and the hero returned the shown emotions with his own. Pulling back, Link was slightly out of breath as he rubbed their noses together.

“You better kick its ass fast, Mr. Hero. I don’t want to have to jump after you if it knocks you off.” 

He chuckled and stole one more kiss before separating himself from his friend. Ravio drew his bow from his back and sent him a reassuring nod that said that he would have his back, no matter what. Link forced himself to look away as he unsheathed the Master Sword and after placing his slate onto the main unit, the Windblight appeared with an ear shattering scream in a blue light.

It looked similar to its brothers. A huge mask hide its face and its body was completely covered in malice. A cannon was attached to its left arm and Link shifted his weight, a snarl on his lips. 

The Blight didn’t hesitate to attack him right away. Link jumped behind the main unit as the creature shot at him several times and he mentally began to count the missiles. After four shots the Blight stopped and Link took it as his cue to get going. Jumping out from behind his hiding spot, Link saw a blinding light charge through the air and hit the Blight straight in its face. The creature screamed in pain and fell to the ground, its mask burning where the light had hit it. Link cut and sliced through its body with the Master Sword, and he noticed how his blade too was covered in a faint glow. The malice screamed wherever he hit the monster and after enough hits he backed off again. Link moved behind the main unit again and risked a quick glance at his friend.

Ravio stood near the wall, Bow of Light drawn and brows furrowed in concentration. His arms and legs seemed to be shaking slightly but he kept his balance well enough. When he pulled the bowstring back another light arrow appeared and he smiled reassuringly towards Link. 

Goddess, just what had he done to deserve this guy?

Nodding determinedly, Link waited until the creature began to shoot again. The two travellers entered a comfortable rhythm of attacks and just as always the monster eventually entered its second form. It was almost scary how easy these fights would get when you had a friend to count on and a weapon that was created for battles like these. 

The Blight teleported back into the middle of the battlefield and summoned four missile-like cannons that began to circle around its head before surging straight towards him. 

“Link, the gales!” 

The Hylian didn’t need to be told twice. As fast as he could he ran towards one of the updrafts and opened his glider just as a hot explosion went off beside his ear. A loud ringing noise flared up behind his eyes and Link had to bite back the pain as he was pulled into the air. Once high enough, the Hylian drew his bow and watched as both a bomb arrow and light arrow simultaneously hit the Blight. Its mechanical missiles began to fall to the ground and Link used the opening to fall from the sky, Master Sword pointing downwards as he pierced through the monster’s body in one smooth action. The creature was cut in half and it screeched when its body was forcefully torn apart in its last seconds of existence. Pulling his blade out of the mask, Link stood by as the Blight dissolved into nothingness.

“I will hug you once we’re back down, Mr. Hero!” Ravio called over from his resting spot. “Now hurry up and free this oversized chicken!” 

_“Your wish is my command.”_ He knew his friend was too far away to see his signing but the Hylian smiled anyway. Grabbing his slate, Link placed it on the main control unit in order to free the third Divine Beast from its corruption.

Only one more to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here for an adorable Ravio with the Snowquill Headpiece, drawn by theshortestalchemist!](https://theshortestalchemist.tumblr.com/post/622947563993284608/you-can-have-a-happy-bunny-as-a-treat-jk-i-just)
> 
> [Click here to see the first part of a project of theirs, starting with Ravio waking up in the Temple of Time; drawn by theshortestalchemist!](https://theshortestalchemist.tumblr.com/post/622939279652536320/first-page-of-panel-sketches-is-done-this-is-for)
> 
>   
> Thanks for checking in, I still suck at writing action scenes but what else is new. Anyway, don't worry we're not done with Rito Village just yet. I know the last two chapters weren't that exciting but I promise that tomorrow's chapter will be orignal and cute again. They simply needed to deal with the business first before they are allowed to have fun.
> 
>   
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	33. And they danced on air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio make it back to Rito Village and receive an offer they cannot refuse.

Just as he had promised, Ravio had pulled him into a bear hug and had refused to let go for several minutes after they had returned to Rito Village. Link didn’t mind all that much. His friend was shaking badly and it was only understandable, seeing as how they had to glide down from Vah Medoh all by themselves. It had been a miracle really that the merchant had managed to hold onto his tornado rod for as long as he had. Sitting on one of the smaller islands, Link simply held his friend in his arms. He ran his fingers through dark hair and covered him in kisses, trying to show just how proud he was of his friend.

Once Ravio had calmed down, the Lolian leaned back and simply rested their foreheads together. Link was relieved to see that some color had returned to the merchant’s face. 

“That was… horrible. Let’s never do that again.”

Snorting, the Hylian couldn’t help but grin. _“Those were the first words you ever said to me, you know?”_ Ravio raised a brow and shook his head. “What? No way, I’m pretty sure I said something way more eloquent than that.”

_“No, sorry. First impression was you complaining, I can’t change that.”_

“Excuse me?” A new voice spoke up, startling both travellers. His hand was squeezed and Link instinctively positioned himself between the merchant and the new face. He was a blue Rito with an instrument in his hands, an apologetic smile on his lips. “I didn’t mean to surprise you. Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kass and I’m a travelling bard. I have heard of the arrival of Hyrule’s hero and I couldn’t help but come home to meet you myself.” The Rito bowed down and Link nodded, not quite knowing how to react. “I was asked by the elder Kaneli to officially invite you to our festival that starts tomorrow evening. Each year we celebrate our past and greet a new future, and it would be a great honor if the saviors of our humble village would join us for the beginning ceremony.” Kass smiled softly and played a few tones on his accordion. “You do not have to perform or hold a speech. It is but a cheerful gathering of all Ritos and we come together to sing, dance, eat, and celebrate. Our younglings have prepared their little concert for quite a while now, however because of the turmoil that Vah Medoh had caused we had to postpone the festival over and over.” 

The two friends looked at each other and Link nodded eagerly, a spark of excitement in his blue eyes. Ravio simply shrugged his shoulders and the Hylian’s grin only widened.

“It would be our pleasure to join you and the rest of the village. It’s about time we took another day off.” The merchant said and Link threw himself into the other’s arms, nuzzling into a laughing chest. They had been travelling for weeks and the idea of staying in the same place for a few days was more than welcomed. 

“Wonderful! I will go and inform Kaneli at once!” With that the Rito excused himself and Link was once again left alone with his partner. 

“A festival, huh?” Ravio looked thoughtful for a moment, almost sad, and Link cocked his head. He nudged his nose against his friend’s jaw but arms simply wrapped around his waist, pulling him a bit closer. Worry began to spread through him but the merchant simply shook his head.

“I’m okay… It’s just been a long time since I last visited a festival… and back then it was with Hilda.” 

Ah, that explained the melancholy in his voice. Link moved to gently cup the Lolian’s face with his hands and he rested their foreheads together. He kissed the corner of Ravio’s mouth and was rewarded with a small smile.

“That was then, though. I loved her but I look forward to making new memories with you as well… Especially when said memories don’t include any monsters. Those are by far my least favourite ones, don’t even make it in the top 5.” 

Link snorted, his heart fluttering from Ravio’s attempts at jokes. His friend would be okay.

_"Then which memories did make it on the list?”_ he asked with a teasing smile. The merchant placed a hand under his chin and pretended to think. 

“Meeting Sheerow would definitely be high up there.” Ravio said and a happy chirp could be heard from his scarf. The Hylian put on his best pout and lightly hit his friend’s shoulder, much to the other’s amusement.

“Fine, fine, I _guess_ most of our interactions are right up there. Especially the hot spring.” 

Link had to admit that was one of his favourite memories as well. He rubbed their noses together before signing. _“Hot spring? I can’t really remember that one…”_ the Hylian bit back his smile, " _How about you remind me just why exactly it was special?”_

That beautiful laughter echoed through the island and Ravio placed a hand on his neck, massaging the skin as he leaned closer. 

“So forgetful, Mr. Hero. I guess I gotta show you until you remember.”

Closing the distance, blue eyes fluttered shut when they finally kissed. Ravio had been right, they deserved a day off from their duties. 

They deserved a day all to themselves.

* * *

The festival took place on a hill just outside the village, much to Ravio’s relief. Benches and different food places had been scattered around the location and trees had been decorated with lanterns and colorful cloths. A stage rounded the whole place up and when the two travellers arrived, a group of kids had already gathered. Link could hear them quietly bickering and he smiled softly. 

More and more Ritos began to gather around the stage and the Hylian recognized the one that had introduced himself as Kass. He was talking to the children and judging by their excited jumps they were quite happy to see him. 

Smiling softly when arms wrapped around his waist, Link felt a head rest on his shoulder before a kiss was placed on his cheek. He leaned back into the embrace and continued watching the preparations for the festival. 

“This is your first festival, right?” Ravio mumbled into his ear and the Hylian nodded. He didn’t remember whether he had ever been to one before but judging by how he had once been a knight he guessed he hadn’t had a lot of spare time. A low hum sounded next to his ear and the Lolian tightened his hold.

“We have a yearly festival in Lorule. It’s a tradition, really. For three days Loruleans all over the kingdom would celebrate in their villages. Everyone would wear masks inspired by beasts, and they would dance and sing and have fun. And then, on the last night at midnight, everyone would take off their masks and throw them towards the full moon. It symbolized that we Loruleans weren’t scared of the dark anymore, and that we didn’t need to turn into beasts in order to survive. Apparently that legend dated all the way back to the time our Triforce had been destroyed, and it became the festival of the beast. It was a reminder that we were strong enough to face even the darkest times and that we would still be the same afterwards…” Ravio nuzzled into his neck. “That mask I’ve been wearing… Hilda made it for me many years ago for the festival of the beast. Back then I hated it, I mean, everyone had a scary looking mask and I was stuck with a rabbit. But I came to like it. It became a comforting thought that she believed that even in the darkest hour I would remain innocent and good. She didn’t see me as a bad person who would turn into a beast or monster. It took me quite a while to realize that.”

The more he heard about Lorule, the more curious he grew. Link wondered just how different their kingdoms were at the end of the day, and just how much Ravio had experienced before coming here. Link had never asked but he couldn’t stop himself from pondering over his friend’s preference. If given the chance, would he rather stay in Lorule or Hyrule? It was a question that he was too scared to voice, but they both knew that it would have to be answered eventually. 

“Are you okay?” 

Link blinked in surprise. He hadn’t noticed that he had tensed up. Hesitantly, the Hylian nodded and petted the arms wrapped around his middle. 

_“I was wondering what kind of mask I would have.”_ Link lied and green eyes narrowed. Nothing could get past Ravio but bless his friend for not pushing.

“Your mask? Let’s see…” Ravio began to play with his tunic and Link smiled at the small habit of his friend. “How about a wolf? They are intuitive, loyal, confident, passionate, and a great listener. Also they are fluffy but shouldn’t be messed with.”

Snorting, the hero nudged his friend’s cheek, a cheshire grin on his lip. _“Would that make you my prey, bunny?”_

“It certainly would make me your something. First you would have to catch me though.” A quick kiss was placed on his cheek and before Link knew what was going on, his friend had already let go of him. He spun on his heel to follow but walked into a feathery chest instead. 

“There you are, Link!” Teba looked quite content with himself and Link sent him a quick smile before trying to push himself past the Rito but a hand on his arm stopped him from escaping.

“Woah there, not so fast. The festival is about to start so we should take our places. Come on, the elder Kaneli wished for you to be by his side. We shouldn’t let him wait any longer.” 

Pouting slightly, Link sighed in defeat as he was dragged away. He looked around everywhere but there was no sight of his partner. Ravio really hadn’t been kidding when he had said he was great at running away from danger. 

The Rito led him over to the benches and Link nodded in thanks when he sat down next to the throne like chair of Kenali. Teba sat down next to him, and the mumbling and conversations around them slowly quieted down when Kass stepped onto the stage. The five Rito children were nervously jumping around behind him and Link could only guess how excited they were to finally perform.

“Friends, family, guests! It is my pleasure to welcome you all to our yearly festival of the sun! I am happy to see just how many have gathered on this special day and I want to thank you all for travelling great distances to be with us today! Our endless gratitude belongs to the champion’s descendant and his partner for they have calmed Vah Medoh and allowed us to celebrate together!” The crowd around him began to cheer and Link pulled his head between his shoulders, a little bit uncomfortable with all the attention. However, when Teba petted his shoulder and sent him a smile, Link managed to relax slightly. Blue eyes scanned their surroundings but there was still no sight of his friend. 

“Now, please allow me and my eager students to officially start the festival with our performance. The ancient Rito song will once again be sung by a new generation of our hopes and dreams!”

Loud applause filled the hill they were standing on and Link smiled as the adorable children jumped onto the stage, each one taking their place. Kass quietly hushed them and finally turned to the crowd, accordion in his hands. The first tones echoed through the silence of the spectators and after a few seconds the first child began to sing. It was a slow melody that built up over time, and with each new verse a new Rito would join in. Soon they sang in harmony and their voices pulled each listener into their spell, soothing everyone's souls and hearts. Link allowed himself to get lost in the moment and he simply listened, though his eyes widened when two people entered the space that had been declared as the dance floor.

A beautiful Rito woman stepped into the spotlight. She wore a long dress and her pink feathers were complimented by gems and accessories. She twirled once and Teba lightly nudged his side. “That’s my wife.” the Rito said with pride in his voice. But Link barely heard him. His full attention was on her dancing partner who had decided to join her in the spotlight.

Ravio looked breathtaking. He had changed from his snowquill set into something that reminded Link of the ancient royal guard wear. A crown of feathers sat on combed hair and he held himself with a confidence only a performer could possess. A brilliant smile rested on his rosy lips and he bowed down in front of Teba’s wife, offering his hand which she took with a curtsy. Link held his breath as the merchant twirled the Rito once before pulling her closer, both fluently moving into a dance that complimented the song.

“He didn’t tell you?” Teba whispered and the hero snapped his head towards him, a confused look on his face. His new friend simply chuckled and crossed his arms. “Ravio overheard us talking about today’s dance. It had been planned that Saki and I performed the first dance but because of my injury I couldn’t participate anymore. He offered to take my place and the two practiced the whole night. To be honest, I didn’t think he could pull it off, especially in such a short time but once again he impressed me. He did say he had experience in dancing but I didn’t believe him.” 

Listening closely, Link nodded as he watched his friend perform in front of the crowd. The Hylian had known since their little magic lesson that Ravio was talented in moving his body but to what extent he hadn’t realized. Pride swell within his chest as he saw at which ease his friend moved along his dancing partner, never faltering or doubting himself. Just how often had Ravio danced like this at political meetings back in Lorule? 

The song came to an end and the crowd began to cheer loudly as the two dancers bowed low. They were both panting but grinned widely and Link’s breath hitched when green eyes finally met his. There was a childlike excitement that Link had never seen before, a teasing wink that was so unlike Ravio and yet fit him perfectly. It was rare to see the merchant fully comfortable in his element and Link felt overwhelmed by his love for his partner. 

People all around him stood up from their places and joined the two dancers on the plateau. A new song filled the air alongside conversations and Link guessed that the festival had officially begun. He tried to make out Ravio in the wave of dancers but he had disappeared once again.

A hand on his back lightly pushed him forward, encouraging him to dance as well.

“You don’t plan on just sitting here all day, are you?” Teba asked with a raised brow and Link pulled his shoulders up, an embarrassed smile on his lips. He pointed over towards the crowd and then to himself, shaking his head. The Rito simply laughed. “No one cares if you can't dance! This is about having fun and letting loose, as long as you enjoy yourself no one will judge! There is only one rule to the dancing.” Teba lifted a feathered finger. “You always dance with a partner. Once a song is over you usually switch around. That way you get to share your joy and happiness with the ones around you.”

The Rito waved somebody over and before Link could say anything, the beautiful Rito lady stood before them. Her gentle eyes mirrored her smile and she offered her hand to the Hylian the same way Ravio had done to her earlier. “Would you dance with me, champion Link?” She asked and Teba once again pushed him. The hero hesitantly took the hand and allowed himself to be led to the dance floor. He felt small being surrounded by all those Ritos but Saki did a great job at distracting him. 

Link’s fear of having to dance professionally was thrown out of the window when he saw how everyone around him simply moved to the music. No one paid attention to the steps and with a small sigh the Hylian found himself relaxing. He allowed the music to run through his veins and Saki laughed when he finally found his rhythm. They danced and danced until the song moved into another and the Rito said her goodbyes before moving on. Link, however, wasn’t alone for long because a second later a small Rito child stood in front of him, excitedly grabbing his hands. He laughed silently as the kid twirled them in circles and he went along with it, losing all tension from being surrounded by so many people. They simply moved to the music when the song changed once again and the kid hugged him tightly before waving goodbye. A tap on his shoulder caught his attention and Link turned around.

Ravio was bowing down and offered his hand with a smile on his lips and affection in green eyes. “May a humble merchant please have this dance, my hero?” Link knew he would usually snort or chuckle but this time was different. The genuine love in the Lolian’s soft voice took him by surprise and he felt a blush creep up on him. Simply nodding, he took the offered hand and his breath hitched when Ravio placed a kiss on his knuckles. Goddess, he wasn’t used to confident Ravio but he wanted to get to know him. 

A warm arm wrapped around his waist and Link was pulled closer to his friend’s chest. One of his hands was guided to Ravio’s shoulder while the other rested in the Lolian’s. Green eyes never left his own and the merchant sent him a smile that left his legs weak.

“Follow my lead, Link.” Ravio whispered and the Hylian nodded helplessly as he was guided over the dance floor. He had no experience in dancing but the merchant was patient with him and Link followed his every step, wanting to please and match his friend. They danced for a while until Ravio deemed them ready to push forward in the lesson. The warm arm around his waist was removed and Link found himself being spun before being pulled back against the other’s chest. He blinked a few times and when a warm happiness bubbled within him, Link began to laugh. It was such a freeing excitement and Ravio grinned at him as they continued their little dance. Link was spun more often now and he slowly got the hang out of the smaller movements. They laughed and held each other, and even when the songs switched no one dared to interrupt the two travellers. Link forgot about the world around him, to him only Ravio existed and they were in the perfect little bubble. 

When the music began to slow down, Ravio too changed their dance. He guided Link’s arms around his neck and placed his own on the Hylian’s waist. Instead of twirling around the dance floor they remained where they were, simply swinging in time with the sung notes. Link had never felt this loved before and in this moment he realized that he wanted this to last. Not just the dance but everything. For a short heartbeat he allowed himself to be selfish and he withdrew his hands in order to sign the words he had always feared to spell out.

_“Stay with me.”_

Green widened and Link knew that Ravio understood. He always did. Link wasn’t asking him to stay for another hour, or for him to stay for the night.

He was asking him to stay in Hyrule. 

Before his anxiety could destroy the evening, Link was granted an answer.

“For as long as you will have me.”

Leaning in, Link buried his hands in black hair as he pulled Ravio into a desperate kiss. He needed his friend to understand just how much he meant to him, just how far he would go to ensure his safety and happiness. The Lolian returned the intensity of emotions and they both knew the unsaid word that lingered in Link’s head.

_Forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see domestic Ravio and Link being all adorable, drawn by DarkAcey!](https://twitter.com/DarkAcey/status/1280692079656669185)
> 
> [Click here for Link and Ravio being soft in their snowquill gear, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/623049589501607936/may-i-interest-you-in-a-ravioli-doodle-from)
> 
> I hope this makes up for the rushing element of the past chapters. When I was writing this Rito Village Arc I was just too excited to get to this scene. And what can I say, I'm weak for confident Ravio who sweeps Link off his feet. With it being Rito Village I knew I wanted to include something music related based on all the side quests, and my partner had the brilliant idea of a festival so here we are. 
> 
> And we get to hear a little bit about Lorule again! The festival of the beast was something that was hinted at from time to time. First when Ravio had revealed his mask in front of Hyrule's king and then whenever he had thought back to what his mask represented. Let's just say this wasn't the last time that we heard about this particular festival either. 
> 
> Anyway, this chapter concludes the Rito Arc so you guys can guess where they will be heading next. 
> 
>   
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	34. A house built on sand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link set off once again and Ravio makes a reckless decision.

Saying goodbye to the Ritos turned out to be more difficult than he had expected. Those feathery people had really grown on him and Ravio had had too much fun at the festival to just move on. He and Saki said their goodbyes and he didn’t resist when she pulled him into a warm hug. 

From Kass he had gotten a little gift, an instrument he had carefully put away into his bag. The musician had offered him a present of his choice and Ravio had known what he had wanted the moment he had laid his eyes on it. 

Now the Lolian waited at the Rito Stable while Link went to fetch their trusted steed Spot. His eyes lingered on the giant Divine Beast that was now resting on top of the stone foundation, watching over the Ritos and their village.

A light tap on his shoulder signaled that Link had returned and he waited until his friend had mounted the horse before struggling to climb up as well. He wrapped his arms around the Hylian’s waist and hid his face in a warm shoulder. “I’m ready.” Ravio whispered and they slowly rode away from the normality the merchant had always wished for the two of them. 

This would be by far their longest travel yet. The Ritos and Gerudos were in two different corners of the map and while Ravio looked forward to spending the time with Link, he also dreaded the possible monsters and the long horse ride. How the Hylian could ride for hours without even squirming was beyond him but then again Link had been a personal guard in his former life. He was probably used to it. 

They had travelled for two days when the region slowly began to change. The cold and green nature made room for sandy rocks and cliffs all around them. Ravio had long since recognized the familiar canyon they had followed south and while he hadn’t been too keen on being reminded of that guardian instance, he knew there was no other path to follow. Whenever the friends would rest they would sleep in shifts, leaving both tired and grumpy on their next departure. When Ravio finally had had enough of seeing his friend barely holding onto consciousness, he had used his sand rod to build them a little fortress of isolation and only after Link had tested each wall with his Master Sword had he deemed it a suitable resting spot. 

“See? The construction is flawless, you shouldn’t expect anything less from me.” Ravio said as he rolled out his bedroll for Link. The hero raised a brow at him but he simply waved it off. “Don’t give me that look. Now come on, let’s lie down. It’s about time we get a good night’s sleep.” Patting the place on the blanket, Ravio blinked innocently and his friend finally joined him. Link rested his head on the Lolian’s lap and colder fingers absently found their way into blond hair. Ravio didn’t know why but the contact always helped him calm down and concentrate. The Hylian nudged his side and Ravio made it a point to get comfortable in his sitting position. He was using his scarf as a pillow and looked down at Link before kissing his forehead. 

“There. Now we can both sleep.”

The hero reluctantly closed his eyes and eventually relaxed into the hand in his hair. Ravio knew that he could lull his friend into a peaceful sleep if he continued to massage his scalp, in that regard Link reminded him of a cat. And just as expected, Link’s breathing calmed down and those beautiful lips were slightly parted. The Hylian had fallen asleep.

A small chirp from his hood caught his attention and Sheerow pointedly flew to rest on his bag. It chirped in accusation and pecked the hand he held hidden underneath the bedroll. Green eyes narrowed but Ravio knew he couldn’t risk Sheerow waking up their tired companion. Slowly, as to not disturb the hero, Ravio revealed his hidden sand rod whose gem was faintly glowing in a purple hue. 

“You better stay quiet or you can fly for the rest of the journey.” the Lolian threatened as he and the bird had a glaring standoff. “Link needs sleep more than me. He’s the fighter, we can’t risk him being too slow in battle. His exhaustion could end up deadly.” He waved the sand rod and the crumbling walls once again solidified. Ravio hadn’t told Link that his magic only worked for a certain amount of time, and that if he ever fell unconscious it would disappear completely. 

As carefully as he could, he pulled his hand away from Link’s hair in order to grab the Sheikah Slate. He searched through their inventory until he found what he had been looking for. Three stamina elixirs appeared in a soft blue light and Ravio used his teeth to remove the cork from the first one. He downed the disgusting drink and shuddered, though his own exhaustion disappeared for the moment. The Lolian wasn’t stupid enough to think that it had just left but he would push back the sleepiness for as long as he could. Sheerow seemingly chirped its equivalent of a sigh and began to rest on his head. 

“I’ll be fine, buddy. I pulled lots of all nighters in the castle’s library.”

Staying up wasn’t Ravio’s worry.

It was the amount of magic he would need for the whole night.

Tightening his hold on the sand rod, Ravio once again refreshed the walls. It would be a long night.

* * *

It had been shortly before sunrise when Ravio had been forced to destroy the sand fortress around them. He was breathing heavily, his face covered in sweat, and his hands were shaking terribly. There was no way he could pull this off for a second night, they would need to find some shelter for their next rest. 

He carefully lifted Link’s head off his lap in order to sneak away. His legs almost gave in under his weight but Ravio used the rocky walls for support as he walked agonizingly slow towards the lake that wasn’t too far away. He was quick to wash his face and get rid of any signs of exhaustion before returning to their little makeshift camp. Just in time too, as the Hylian began to stir from his place on the ground.

“Good morning, Mr. Hero.” Ravio said with his biggest grin as he went to steal a quick kiss. His muscles were screaming at him when he leaned down but the movement looked smooth enough. Besides, kissing his friend would always be worth the pain. Blue eyes were still blinking the sleepiness away but those dark circles had disappeared and Ravio was relieved. As long as Link had gotten the necessary rest it didn’t matter whether he himself was in top form or not. 

_ “Morning…”  _ the Hylian signed slowly as he reached for his slate. After a minute of searching Link summoned them some breakfast and Ravio sat down next to him, gratefully taking the food. If his friend noticed how he was eating faster and more than usual then he didn’t point it out. 

They left half an hour later.

Ravio wasn’t sure when exactly he had fallen asleep on the horseback but his wake up call couldn’t have been more rough. He snapped awake just in time when a red beam tore through the ground around them. Tightening his hold around Link’s waist so he wouldn’t fall off, the merchant’s heart raced as he tried to assess the situation. There were two weird guardian looking things flying in the air, obviously hunting them down. Their red beams were aimed straight at Spot but through a miracle Link managed to navigate around the stone formations and cliffs to avoid every last attempt at their lives. Reaching for his sand rod, Ravio summoned a solid wall right behind them, separating themselves from the guardians. White spots exploded in his vision but he kept it up for as long as he could before the mechanical inventions broke through. It had only been a couple of seconds but it had been enough for Link to get a headstart. They rode as fast as they could and the Hylian urged the horse to speed up over and over again. 

And yet the things caught up.

There was no way around it, Ravio knew what he had to do. His gloved hand began to radiate a warmth that washed over him, granting him a break from his pained state as he kissed Link’s neck.

“Don’t worry about me.”

He could see how Link’s head snapped around to look at him, blue eyes wide with concern and fear. However, Ravio didn’t wait for his friend to realize what he was planning. He replaced one rod for another and with a last smile he jumped off the horseback, using his tornado rod to catch his fall. Landing safely, Ravio knew he would only have a minute at best before Link turned Spot around. He let the rod fall to the ground and drew his golden bow. With a deep breath he pulled the bowstring back and just as expected an arrow of pure light appeared between his fingers. Taking aim at the first flying guardian, the Lolian asked his Triforce for help. His trembling hands became steady and the exhaustion was wiped from his mind. Cold and calculated focus spread through his body and Ravio waited until the guardian was close enough. One second. Two seconds. When its red beam rested on his forehead, Ravio waited yet another second. 

He shot.

Like the first sunbeam of the day did the arrow tore through the air before hitting its mark. The flying guardian was covered in a blinding explosion and he could see a cloud of malice being ripped away from its mechanical body. Any hint of angry red and pink left its body and the guardian floated harmlessly in the sky, its form covered in the familiar blue from the Sheikah Slate. He sighed in relief. 

One down, one to go. 

Jumping behind a boulder, Ravio felt the heat of the lazer wash over the rock. The calmness the Triforce had provided began to lose its effect and the merchant cursed under his breath when the shaking returned. His vision turned blurry and for a terrifying second he felt as if he was about to faint. He bit his lips bloody and focused on the pain. Not yet.

Stepping out from behind his hiding spot, Ravio once again aimed his bow. However, the second guardian was still too far away and wide green realized that he couldn’t hit it just yet. The next red beam destroyed the boulder he was standing next to and the impact of the explosion threw him back against a rocky wall. He cried out in pain as sharp rocks buried themselves into his back but the horror only continued when the bow fell out of his hands. Ravio fell onto his knees, his hands blindly searching for the weapon but he could barely see anymore. The warmth from his Triforce was fully gone now and the merchant found himself face to face with the fear of death he had experienced so often in his life. 

Just what in Din’s name had he been thinking?

Smiling sadly, Ravio leaned back against the wall as a red beam aimed straight for his chest. Link should be safe, he would be fine. The sound of the lazer charging was the only one that reached his ears and in the next moment, several things happened at the same time.

For one, the flying guardian shot its beam at him. For another, Link appeared out of nowhere in front of him, his shield readied. 

Ravio wanted to call out to him, scream at him to hide, but not a second later the beam hit the shield and Link perfectly deflected the attack, throwing it back at the guardian. An explosion of gears and screws rained down upon them and the mechanical enemy was no longer. 

The merchant blinked once. Twice. And then there was a blurry face in front of him, angry and teary eyes glaring at him as a hand slapped his shoulder. Ravio didn’t have the strength to speak up anymore. He dully felt a warmth on his cheek but he was already losing consciousness.

At least Link was okay. 

* * *

Ravio awoke to the silent crackling of a fire and a hand in his hair. He groaned when a piercing pain in his back prevented him from slipping back into the sweet dreamless sleep and the fingers on his head stopped their movements. The merchant didn’t want to be awake, he wanted to be unconscious and escape the pain, but he forced an eye open to look into concerned blue. 

Goddess, he would never get used to the beautiful color. 

“Hey.” he whispered hoarsely and even to himself did his voice sound like shit. The Lolian tried to sit up but another hand gently pushed him back down. The sky was covered in darkness and stars.

Just how long had he been asleep?

Link looked at him with an expression that was somehow both pissed and worried. Ravio chuckled though the pain in his chest quickly turned it into a whimper. 

“I promise I can explain?” he tried and the fingers once again moved in his hair. In the dim light of the fire Ravio noticed that he wasn’t wearing his tunic and hood. He had been stripped down to his pants and his chest was covered in bandages, probably to deal with whatever had caused his back to hurt. 

“I was just lacking a bit of sleep and using the bow took more out of me than I expected. It was an error in my calculations, nothing big.” 

Link slammed his hand against the ground and Ravio flinched. 

_ “Nothing big?” _ the Hylian signed threateningly.

“Okay, bad choice of words.” 

He watched as his friend slumped over him, his expression so much gentler and exhausted. Ravio raised a hand and cupped the Hylian’s face, running his thumb over the soft skin. The merchant knew that Link wasn’t angry at him, not really. He had been scared. 

“I’m sorry, Link. I pulled an all nighter so you could rest. I didn’t think that I would have to be in any shape for the next couple of days. We were so lucky on our travels so far, I didn’t consider more guardians to show up.” He pulled his friend’s face down and nudged their noses together. The movement put a strain on his back but Ravio ignored it. “Forgive me?”

The Hylian sighed heavily and Ravio realized just how much he had worried his partner. Wanting nothing more than to kiss the sadness away, the Lolian knew better than to force himself onto Link. It was his friend’s decision whether he forgave him or not, Ravio was in no position to make that choice for him. When blue eyes met his he tried his best to communicate his apology. 

He was rewarded with a kiss. 

_ “Don’t you dare develop a self sacrificing habit now. One of us needs to have a self-preservation instinct and it shouldn’t be the guy with the sword.”  _

Ravio grinned weakly as he rested their foreheads together. “That’s your bad influence on me. After spending so much time around you I fear that some of your courage has rubbed off on me. Either that or it was your recklessness.” 

Leaning back, Ravio finally noticed the flying guardian that wasn’t too far away. He quietly raised a brow but Link simply shrugged his shoulders.  _ “It didn’t attack us so I let it be. So far it hasn’t regressed.”  _ The merchant nodded and licked his lips. He had an idea.

“What if I asked the guardian to watch over us for the night?”

Link looked at him questionably. 

“You know, when I gave that other guardian an order it followed it, right? Weren’t these things created as a weapon against Ganon? It should be in their blood or oil to protect us from harm.”

His friend didn’t look too convinced but he waved for Ravio to continue. With the help of Link he managed to sit up, although he needed to lean heavily against a warm chest. 

“Hey! Flying guardian!” He called over and there were those clicking sounds again as the machine came closer. Link tensed up behind him but Ravio felt confident in his idea. “My buddy and I need to rest! Could you protect us? You know, keeping an eye open for any evil?” The guardian seemed to process his words and after a moment it flashed in different shades of blue before starting to circle the air above them. Its blue light shone down on the paths around them and after a while it was clear that it wouldn’t do anything else. 

Ravio grinned at the Hylian and opened his arms, inviting the other to come closer.

“Cuddle time before sleep?” 

Blue eyes were rolled but Link moved closer so they could both lie down. The night was warm enough and after some adjusting Ravio found himself resting on top of his friend. His head was placed on Link’s chest and an arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. The Lolian allowed his eyes to flutter close and he sighed heavily when the exhaustion caught up to him. It was quiet except for the flying guardian and Ravio focused on the rhythmic heartbeat under his ear. 

  
“I’m sorry.” And he meant it. The arm around him only tightened and a kiss was pressed into his hair.  _ It’s okay, _ the action said.  _ I’ve got your back.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone got a little bit cocky here. Ravio has to understand that he can finally play an active part, he's no longer forced to be the back up now that he got the Bow of Light. 
> 
> I don't have a lot to say about this chapter, really. To be honest I'm not that satisfied with the few chapters inbetween Rito Village and Gerudo Town mostly because when I ran around those areas ingame I didn't find any locations that were interesting enough to be mentioned. It's such a long route from A to B and yet there wasn't anything noteworthy so we will reach the desert soon enough. And the Gerudo part... Well, I'm sure it won't be what you might expect. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	35. A place in the sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio have an interesting encounter and finally reach the desert.

Link had woken up long before Ravio. In itself it wasn’t unusual, it had become the norm at this point. However, for the first time the Hylian had decided not to wake his friend up. Even now he could see the exhaustion in Ravio’s sleeping face and the hero hated that his friend had gone behind his back to allow him a few more hours of sleep the night before. Ravio was supposed to be the rational one, just why did he do something so stupid?

_Because he cares._

Link knew all too well how far people would go for the ones they held most dear. He remembered the moment he had died, how Zelda had protected him in the last second. It hadn’t been the first time Ravio had jumped in front of him either. That idiot could say what he wanted but he had the instincts of a hero. Neither of them could sit by and simply watch. They cared too much. 

Brushing a few strands of dark hair out of his friend’s sleeping face, Link kissed the exposed forehead. _Let me protect you too._

It was around noon when Ravio finally awoke. With a whine he hid his face in Link’s neck and the Hylian chuckled softly. A tired merchant was always an adorable sight to behold. Once his friend was ready, Link helped him back into his tunic and they fetched Spot to continue their little journey. Ravio made it a point to thank the guardian that had still circled the sky and after some clicking sounds it disappeared into the direction they had come from. The Hylian still didn’t trust those things but they were useful nonetheless. 

The two friends finally arrived at the Tabantha Great Bridge and arms around his waist tensed up. They really couldn’t take a break from crossing heights and Link petted the arms before looking over his shoulder towards the Lolian. He smiled softly and kissed his nose. Spot walked slowly and luckily the bridge was large enough for the horse to move without worries. They had barely crossed the middle when Ravio pointed towards something in the canyon.

“What in Din’s name…?” 

Stopping Spot, Link also tried to make out whatever was approaching from the distance. It was difficult to tell but something was flying inside the canyon and blue eyes widened when he finally made out the figure.

It was a dragon.

He tensed up and reached for Ravio’s hand around his waist, squeezing it in a silent question. His friend hummed in thought and finally removed his arms to get off the horse.

“It feels safe, Link.” As if to prove his point, the Lolian removed his glove and showed the glowing Triforce. The hero hesitantly followed suit and they simply stood on the bridge, fingers intertwined as they waited for the dragon to come closer.

It was a breathtaking creature. Impressive red horns were pointed towards the sky and its white scales reflected the light of the sun. It radiated an immense energy of power but there was nothing threatening about it. The dragon reminded him of Naydra and Link wondered whether it was connected to a Triforce as well.

He had expected the dragon to simply pass by, to ignore them as if they were simple travellers. But Link was proven wrong when it stopped in front of the bridge, its old and calm eyes resting on them. His breath hitched as he was allowed to take in the beauty of the creature. 

“You can feel it too, can’t you?” Ravio whispered and Link knew what he meant. While Naydra had made them feel calm and collected, this dragon fueled them with an endless energy. In that moment Link felt like he could take on even the strongest enemy and his convictions had never been more set in stone. There was no greed to the dragon’s power, no corruption. It was the unadulterated urge to reach one’s goal, regardless of good or bad. If Ganon represented the manipulative side of power, this dragon stood for any noble intention. Link could feel it in his own strengthened determination to keep his friend safe.

As if sharing one mind, the two heroes reached out for the dragon. Their hands stopped mid air and it was the creature that closed the distance. It leaned its head against their palms, not unlike Naydra had done to Ravio, and whatever doubt or weakness had clawed at his soul was washed away in a kind light. Seeds of insecurities died in a forest fire and all that was left was his conviction. Balls of flames surrounded the dragon’s body but Link wasn’t burned when he came in contact with them. Ravio too was covered in the heat and his eyes widened as his free hand reached for his back. Their gazes met and Link understood what had happened.

Their injuries had been healed. 

The dragon’s calm eyes seemed to spark with amusement and it nudged against their hands one more time before diving underneath the bridge. The two heroes simply watched awestruck as the creature continued its path down the canyon, leaving them behind feeling refreshed and with a newfound faith. 

Silent moments passed as they simply stared.

Ravio whistled lowly. “You think we can convince one of them to travel with us?” Link snorted and squeezed their joined hands. “Yeah, I figured as much.” 

Mounting their trusted steed, Link waited until his friend was in position before signing. _“How is your back?”_ Ravio’s head was resting on his shoulder and he nuzzled his cheek. “All good. My magic is also refreshed which is definitely a huge plus. I hate being without any for too long, it feels unnatural to be drained.”

They once again took off, continuing their path to the village of the Gerudo. Ravio cuddled close much to the amusement of Link but they both knew they needed the contact. Travelling for days could leave your mood dropping and with the never ending rhythm of monster attacks and sleeping in shifts it was clear that they could both use a distraction. 

Sighing softly, Link leaned back into the warm embrace.

It was going to be a long trip.

* * *

Two weeks. It took them two weeks to finally reach the desert. They had taken a day or two off once they had reached the Gerudo Canyon Stable but there was only so much time they could waste until they were forced back into the hero business.

Link hated that he had to leave Spot at the stable. Of course, he knew better than to take the horse into the desert heat but parting after all that time did hurt. _We will be back,_ he promised his steed as he fed him one more apple. The stable keeper had promised to look after Spot and after one last goodbye the two friends took off to reach Gerudo Town.

They were ten minutes in when Ravio finally decided to complain about the heat. 

“I’m melting.” The Lolian whined and Link grimaced when his friend decided to use the hero’s worn shirt to wipe the sweat off of it. He pushed Ravio away but the merchant only grinned, his green eyes sparkling with sunlight. They were both wearing nothing but pants and shirts, their tunics stacked away in the merchant’s bag. Sheerow, too, had disappeared into the bag and Link wondered just how good the enchantment on that thing was to house so many items. 

They walked for what seemed like hours when Ravio suddenly cheered, startling the crap out of him. Link’s hand had moved instinctively to the Master Sword and he glared daggers at the Lolian but Ravio simply pointed towards something ahead.“That must be the bazaar the travellers talked about! We’re halfway there, Link!” Before he could say anything his hand was already grabbed and together they clumsily ran through the deep sand. It took them a ridiculous amount of time but the bazaar was more than worth it. 

The place was a small oasis and their last stop before Gerudo Town. It was filled with both travellers and Gerudos alike, and Link watched with amusement as Ravio ran over to the water place to dive his head underwater. He shook his wet hair like a dog and the Hylian squeaked when his friend forced him into a hug, rubbing his wet face all over his own. 

_“You’re incredible.”_ Link signed as he dried his face with his shirt. A clumsy kiss was placed on his lips and he knew he couldn’t be mad at that toothy grin. “Why thank you, I know I’m quite the character.” 

_“So what do we do now? Check into the inn?”_

Ravio shrugged his shoulders and looked around. “That would be our best bet. I do want to ask about the Gerudos anyway. In Lorule they were always quite the… personalities, for a lack of a better word. And by that I mean they only talked to Hilda and treated me like I was just an accessory by her side.” He waved it off. “To be fair, our relationship was rather strained after that asshole Yuga had killed our king. Almost started a war and all.” 

The nonchalant tone of the merchant sent a shiver down his spine. How he was able to talk so lightly about such a serious topic was beyond Link. Just what had Ravio gone through before coming to Hyrule? The Lolian seemingly noticed his concern because a moment later their noses were rubbed together. 

“Don’t worry about little old me. I wrote an inspiring speech for Hilda about how a few black sheep couldn’t tear our hard work apart and how we should learn from such tragedies and make sure to prevent any future conflicts between our races. You know, all that political stuff. What counts is that the Lolians decided against vengeance and now we are all best buddies.” 

Link chose not to ask any more questions. He would leave the political aspects to his friend and simply focus on his own mission. 

They entered the inn together and the Hylian sighed in relief at the colder air. A Gerudo was leaning against what seemed to be the counter of a shop, a book in her hands. Link couldn’t help but curiously look around at the many different types of arrows she was selling. He recognized the shock and bomb arrows, and she even sold ice and fire as elemental weapons. His eyes were wide and he sent Ravio a sparkling look before his attention returned to the big arsenal at hand. 

“Excuse me, lady?” Ravio broke the silence and the Gerudo seemingly just noticed their arrival. She quickly put the book away and pushed herself into a professional stance. “I apologize, I didn’t hear you entering. How may I help you?” 

The Lolian put on a great smile as Link began to pick up a few arrows of each type. “It’s no problem at all! You see, we are two travellers and we have heard about the beauty of Gerudo Town so we wanted to come and check it for ourselves… However, we aren’t familiar with this part of Hyrule so we were wondering if you could give us some information about this desert and the current state of things?” 

She chuckled and rested her arms on the counter, a smirk on her lips. The Gerudo looked more than amused and Link stopped in his movements as she studied them both. “I can tell you two aren’t from here. Because if you had heard any real stories about Gerudo Town you would have known that your journey ends here.”

They both exchanged glances. “And why is that?” Ravio sounded as confused as he felt and the woman’s cheshire smile didn’t help at all. “Because no voe are allowed inside. I’m sorry but if your group doesn’t have a vai you could send in your place then this is the end for you.”

Furrowing his brows, Link looked over to his friend for an answer. Ravio seemed to know what she was talking about because he groaned loudly, a hand on his face.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Seriously? You gals are still holding onto that annoying tradition?”

The Gerudo looked at him with a raised brow and the Lolian flinched at the obvious slip up. Instead of answering her silent question, Ravio turned towards him with a small sigh. “Only women are allowed inside the town, buddy. There is no way we can get inside which means that our search for the Divine Beast just got harder. Great. Fantastic. A smelly desert couldn’t be enough of a challenge, thanks Lo— Hylia.”

The merchant threw his arms into the air and Link put the arrows aside so he could take those flailing hands into his own. Squeezing softly, Link leaned in for a kiss to calm his friend down. They had figured worse things out together.

The Gerudo cleared her throat and Link looked back over to her. She had a thoughtful expression and after a while she sighed, straightening her back. “You know what? You two look like honest young voe and if you are here because of the Divine Beast, out of all things, then your ridiculous journey shouldn’t end because of me.” She gestured for them to come closer and hesitantly, the heroes complied. “Now you didn’t hear it from me but there are some rumors that a hylian man has managed to sneak into the town before. Heard he can be found somewhere here on the bazaar so if I was a desperate voe who needed to enter the town I would look for said Hylian and ask for his secret.”

Their faces brightened up at once and this time it was Ravio who squeezed their joined hands. “Thank you so much. Any way we can repay you for this information?”

Her eyes wandered towards the pile of arrows and she wiggled her brows at Link.

* * *

“Let’s split up.” Ravio announced as they left the inn though Link was barely listening. He was too busy staring at his new arrows and a childlike excitement spread through him. Looking up, he grinned at his friend and finally let the weapons disappear into his slate. _“Who checks where?”_

The Lolian seemingly checked the bazaar and pointed over towards a few stands that acted as shops. “I will ask the shopkeepers. You can either ask or look around, we will meet in front of the inn once we’re done. Sounds like a plan?”

Nodding along, Link smiled when the merchant placed a quick kiss onto his cheek. “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.” He saluted and waited until his friend had left to check out the bazaar for himself. It was an easily manageable size and Link doubted that you could truly hide around here. He walked past the water, arms crossed behind his back, but as far as he could see there was no other Hylian around. 

After another few minutes the hero grew impatient. He groaned silently and threw his head back, simply staring into the afternoon sun when an interesting sight caught his attention. It seemed as if somebody was sitting on top of the inn, enjoying the heat for all he knew. 

Shrugging his shoulders, Link headed back towards the taller building and looked around for a ladder.

It couldn’t hurt checking the roof out, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see a young Ravio with his mask, drawn by froggoy!](https://froggoy.tumblr.com/post/623184546369814528/for-the-past-two-days-ive-been-totally-binging)
> 
> May the Gerudo arc officially begin! I had wanted to add Dinraal in one way or another, seeing as how they would travel past its typical route though I know it was a rather lame encounter. But hey, they finally reach the kara kara bazaar! Also when my partner read the chapter, she said it was basically this meme.
> 
> Gerudo: "It is clear in the rules: no voe are allowed in Gerudo Town. Sorry."  
> Link & Ravio: *two desperate gays*  
> Gerudo: "Okay I will make an exception because you two look very polite."
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	36. Taken by surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This day is just full of surprises.

Sighing in defeat, Ravio ran a hand through his sweaty hair. He had asked everyone he had met about a Hylian who had snuck into the town but no one had been able to tell him anything. Apparently the only male Hylians had been him and Link so that search had been for nothing. He returned to the inn and tapped his foot, looking around for his friend. 

There was a tap on his shoulder and Ravio glanced at a lady in Gerudo clothes. Furrowing his brows, he checked whether he stood in front of the entrance. In his opinion he didn’t block anything but he still took a step to the side.

“Can I… can I help you?” 

The lady cocked her head and Ravio felt a little bit flustered. She placed a hand on his arm and traced his sleeve but the Lolian was quick to take a step back, an apologetic smile on his lips as he lifted his hands in defense. 

“Listen, miss, I’m sure you’re a sweetheart but I’m not interested. You see, I’m already happily taken so… thanks, but no thanks.” 

There was amusement in the lady’s eyes as she ignored everything he had just said. A warm hand came to rest on his neck and Ravio felt a shiver run down his spine as her other hand touched his chest. Face reddening, the merchant tried to politely push her away but he stopped in his tracks when he truly looked at her. Her eyes were the color of the sky and ocean, and through the veil he could make out a round nose and lips that had been drawn by a paintbrush. Green widened and his suspicions were only confirmed when the sound of a familiar snort reached his ears. 

“What in Din’s name are you wearing, Link?” he hissed under his breath but his friend simply sent him a shit eating grin. The Hylian moved the veil to the side and leaned in for a kiss that Ravio reluctantly met. He still hadn’t gotten over his initial shock.

Especially because Link was rocking that outfit. The veil hid his face well enough that only his crystal blue eyes were recognizable, the top left little to imagination and the sirwal pants were breathy and short enough for easy movement. 

Wrapping his arms around Link’s exposed waist, Ravio noticed how his friend shivered at the contact between skin. Now it was his time to smirk as he smoothly switched their positions, pinning the Hylian against the wall of the inn. He leaned closer until he was next to the hero’s ear and when he spoke, it was barely a whisper. “You do look quite beautiful, my hero.” 

A punch to his arm caused him to back off and Ravio laughed wholeheartedly, enjoying the way Link’s shoulders turned red with embarrassment. He carefully lifted his friend’s veil and kissed him softly, intertwining their fingers. They parted and Link rested their foreheads together. 

“I take it you found the guy then?” He received a nod in return. “Guess I gotta buy one of those as well, huh? Doubt they will let me in when I tell them I’m your betrothed or something.” Link nodded again and they shared another lingering kiss. Ravio couldn’t help but grin.

“I hope I can pull it off as well as you do, Mr. Hero.”

* * *

600 rupees and a change of clothes later, Ravio tried to check himself out. He had put great emphasis on buying a purple set and now that he was actually wearing it, the merchant doubted he looked anywhere near as attractive as Link. A small pout was hidden behind his veil and with a sigh he turned to his friend, showing off his new outfit.

“We are supposed to be counterparts, why is it that you can literally wear anything and still look beautiful while everything I wear turns into a potato sack?” 

_“I think you look pretty.”_ Link signed with amusement. Though his friend came over to him and wrapped warm arms around his neck, pulling him closer until they were chest to chest. 

“I bet you’re only saying that because we are a thing. It’s your job to reassure me.”

The arms were pulled back so the Hylian could sign. _“You caught me, I’m only fulfilling the daily check list of endorsements.”_

“I knew it.” Sniffing loudly, Ravio placed the back of his hand on his forehead as he turned away from his friend. “Next up you’re going to tell me that purple doesn’t compliment my eyes either.” 

He heard his friend chuckle before arms wrapped around his chest. Smiling, Ravio leaned back into the embrace as he rested his hands on top of the Hylian’s. “So… Should we get going, then? It’s only a handful of hours until Gerudo Town, we could reach it before sunset.” 

A nod against his back told him enough and the two travellers refilled their waterskins before getting ready to set off once again. Now that they were wearing lighter clothes the sun was much more bearable and Ravio sighed in relief.

“Would you mind storing my bag for the time being?” The Lolian asked, holding up his own equipment. “It would probably be more comfortable to cross a desert without a heavy bag to drag around.” Link offered his slate to him and the merchant watched in silent awe as his items disappeared inside the little device. He would one day have to figure out how that thing worked.

The two friends mostly walked in silence. Sure, the sun was much more bearable now but Ravio was still sweating without end. Worst, he was too exhausted to even complain. The merchant just wanted to reach Gerudo Town, charm his way inside and then disappear into a bathtub for the rest of his life. He had never thought he would admit to it but the Lolian missed the annoying Death Mountain. There they at least had several hot springs they could use.

Throwing his head back, Ravio groaned loudly when the town appeared in the distance. They were so close, only a little bit more and they would finally be there. The merchant took off his head piece and stuffed it into a pocket as he reached for his waterskin. It was half empty and after downing the rest of its content, Ravio sighed.

“Promise me that after we’re done here we will go back to Hateno. I’ve had enough of volcanoes and deserts and mountains, even heroes deserve a break from time to time.” 

A hand took his and Link smiled over towards him as a group of travellers passed by them. Ravio barely paid them any attention when his arm was suddenly yanked to the side just as an arrow shot past his head. He fell into the sand with a groan and when he looked up, the group had disappeared. The two friends were surrounded by five people in red clothes and masks, their weapons pointing at the two of them.

“Death to the hero!” One of them yelled and the second arrow that had been meant for his head was stopped by Link’s shield. The Hylian bared his teeth.

Jumping back onto his feet, Ravio reached for his bag only to groan loudly. Right, yeah, that was on him. Instead he reached for the Bow of Light, its golden arrow competing with the sun shining down on them. Link had already unsheathed the Master Sword and they stood back to back, eyes never leaving their opponents. They both knew that they were at a disadvantage. Neither wore any sturdy armor and there was only so much close combat Ravio could dodge with a bow as his weapon. 

He didn’t like these odds.

The standoff was finally broken when one of those guys made their first move. The assassin swung his scythe and went straight for him but Ravio was quick to fall to his knees as his friend’s shield took his position, easily blocking the attack and creating an opening. The Lolian released the bowstring and with a successful hit the assassin was thrown several meters back, landing motionlessly on the ground. Sure, his arrows couldn’t kill but stunning those enemies and knocking them out cold was more than enough for now. 

Looking around, Ravio noticed how Link was in a one on one match with another stranger. Their weapons clashed but it seemed like the Hylian had the upper hand as he forced the guy to retreat. Green scanned their surroundings as he got up again, bowstring already drawn back again. His eyes widened when he noticed the hostile archer taking aim at Link.

“Down!” 

Link followed the order without hesitation. He ducked his head low and Ravio used the free line of sight to shoot the man, a painful scream leaving the guy as his hands were pierced by an arrow of light. 

They continued to fight hand in hand. With two gone there were only three enemies left and Ravio used the change of pace to back off. Once there was enough distance between himself and their opponents, he went back to keeping an eye on Link’s back, though his friend didn’t need the help. He was easily dancing over the battlefield, keeping two enemies on their feet as he rained attack after attack down on them. Link deflected and parried attacks with an ease Ravio had never seen in combat and the Lolian simply knocked out the remaining guy as Link took care of the other two. Once the fight was over, the two friends allowed themselves to breathe out, a small smile on their lips.

“Are you alri—” Before Ravio could react however, a red smoke had already surrounded him and another masked man appeared, this one taller and stronger than the others they had just fought. A hand wrapped around his arm and squeezed with an uncomfortable strength as Ravio tried to reach for Link but no matter how fast his friend ran, before their hands could touch he was already surrounded by darkness. 

A moment later he was pushed onto a stoney ground, a cry leaving him as his exposed skin scrubbed over the rough floor. The sound of bars being slammed shut behind him echoed through the dungeon and Ravio realized with horror that he had been thrown into a cell. Pushing himself onto his arms, the Lolian looked around in his dimly lit prison as the masked guy walked down a dark hallway, leaving him without his bow behind.

Well, shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see an amazing comic about the shopkeeper changing her mind after the boys were openly affectionate, drawn by shirebeast!](https://shirebeast.tumblr.com/post/623279271249674240/have-i-mentioned-in-the-last-24-hours-how-much-i)
> 
> Here it is, the Vai Outfit most of you were waiting for! Of course I just had to make Ravio wear it as well, even if he never got to show it off. Anyway, remember the time the Yiga member told Link that others would come for him? Or the time some of you had noticed how Ravio wasn't wearing his mask anymore? Well, here are the consequences.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	37. No method in your madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link demands help in his search for Ravio, and Ravio tries to make the best out of his situation.

Link saw red. The moment Ravio had been kidnapped, he had gone for the remaining clan members but just like their leader they had disappeared in a smoke of red. Now left alone, the hero clenched and unclenched his hands. His teeth were gritted and his head snapped back towards Gerudo Town. 

He didn’t remember crossing the rest of the desert. He didn’t remember pushing his way past the two guards who had deemed him worthy of entering. In a blur the Hylian walked through the town, ignoring any offers for weapons or food. His blue eyes were focused on the important looking building that stood tall in the middle. If he wanted to get information that place was most likely his best start.

Link didn’t let any guards stop him. When he entered and a hand was placed onto his chest to stop him, he simply dodged underneath and continued on his path. Several Gerudos hurried after him when he came to a stop in front of what he assumed to be a throne. A girl was sitting on top, a crown decorated her red hair and she shifted in her seat, obviously surprised by his entrance. The guard who stood to the right of her slammed her weapon into the ground, creating a loud sound that echoed through the palace. 

Link held his ground, never looking away from the child in charge.

“I’m so sorry, Lady Riju. This vai simply pushed through our defenses, I will remove her at once.” A guard somewhere behind him said but when a hand came to rest on his arm, Link bared his teeth and growled threateningly. He was fully prepared to fight back when the girl decided to speak up.

“That won’t be necessary. I would like to hear the reason for such an entrance, please leave us alone.” The Gerudo studied him with curious eyes but Link simply glared back. After a moment of hesitation the guards bowed down and left the throne room, leaving Link alone with the girl and her bodyguard.

“State your business or leave at once!” The Gerudo soldier said, once again slamming her weapon into the ground. The girl lifted her hand and the guard glared at him. “Now, now, Buliara. Our guest is clearly distraught, let’s give him a moment to gather himself. If he went out of his way to sneak into our town the least I could do is listen to his cause.” 

Tensing up, Link narrowed his eyes. It seemed the kid wasn’t as easily deceived as the rest of her soldiers. He lifted his hands and ignored the way the guard tightened her grip on her weapon.

_ “My name is Link, Hero of Hyrule.”  _ the Hylian signed and with the way the girl’s eyes followed his hands, she most likely understood him.  _ “I have come here to free the Divine Beast but on my journey a person dear to me was taken from me. I want your help or you can deal with the beast yourself.”  _

His words sounded harsh even to himself but Link couldn’t care less. He had sacrificed so much for Hyrule, it was only fair its people would finally return something. The soldier’s face turned red with anger but once again the girl lifted her hand to calm her down.

“You sure have a lot of guts if you expect help after showing such disrespect towards me, Riju, the chief of the Gerudo.” She broke into a smile and straightened her back. “I have heard about you, hero Link. Apparently you have already succeeded in freeing the other Divine Beasts and you coming all the way here to help us in our hour of need is quite selfless of you.” She stood up from her throne and walked down the stairs towards him. She circled him like a predator but Link only narrowed his eyes. He had no time for games.

“I’ll tell you what. I help you and in return you help me. One hand washes the other. Now, please tell me a little more about your… situation.”

Gritting his teeth, Link began to explain. His movements were clumsy and fast, and he hated wasting even just a minute for his explanation.  _ “My partner and I were attacked by people wearing masks. I have encountered them before, they called themselves the Yiga Clan. After defeating the footsoldiers a new enemy appeared and he grabbed my friend, taking him to a place I couldn’t follow.”  _

Riju’s eyes widened and she exchanged a glance with her guard. “It seems we have the same goal then, hero. I too had something stolen from me by the Yiga Clan. But it’s quite unusual for them to take hostages. Why do you think they took your companion?”

Link swallowed thickly. He too had thought about this but the answer had been too obvious. 

_ “Because my friend resembles me in a lot of ways. They most likely confused him for me.”  _

Signing the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. Ravio had warned him over and over again that he had worn the mask for their both protection but Link hadn’t listened. He had been so consumed by his selfish desire to see his friend that he had ignored the danger of the bigger picture. Now here they were, separated by an enemy who wanted him dead, not the Lolian. If anything were to happen to Ravio because of their switch up, Link wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

Riju knew better than to ask any questions about his ominous answer. 

“It is settled then. I will provide you with the information and equipment you need in order to infiltrate their hideout and free your friend, and in return you will bring the Thunder Helm back for me.” 

She offered her hand and Link took it without hesitation. 

He would make the Yiga Clan regret ever putting their hands on Ravio.

* * *

The hideout was located in the Gerudo Highlands, not too far away from the town. Once he had been out of sight Link had changed into a new pair of clothes that had once been worn by the Sheikahs in order to remain undetected.

Finding the den was easy enough. He knew that Riju had advised him to use a stealthy approach but the hero was still angry beyond belief. Sure, he acted in silence but not a single yiga member that had the misfortune of crossing his path made it out unharmed. 

It didn’t take long until he ended up in a dead end. A wide room opened up in front of him but it was filled with nothing but a few useless baskets and banners hanging from the ceiling. The hero paced up and down, looking for anything he could have overlooked but there was not another path leading away. Screaming in silence, Link kicked one of the torches, causing a banner to catch fire. He panted heavily and clenched his hands as the fire burned away the symbol of the yiga. Blue suddenly widened when he noticed that the space behind the banner wasn’t empty. It had merely hidden a small secret chamber. Link was quick to light the rest of the cloths and watched as one of them revealed stairs that seemingly led further down the hideout.

Throwing the torch away, Link drew his sword and continued his journey. 

* * *

The Yiga Clan, as he had been kindly informed of their name, wasn’t the smartest club in town. Ravio had figured this one out after the many times he had been forced to listen to discussions about bananas. He had no clue why these guys were so obsessed with these fruits but he had used it for his own advantage. Pulling one or two guards into a conversation about the different pros and cons of baked bananas had been easy enough and from there on Ravio had slowly asked for pieces of information. 

Apparently he was in their hideout somewhere in the Gerudo Highlands. If he remembered the map Link had shown to him, it wasn’t that far away. Which was good, for starters. Another detail he had been informed of was that they were former Sheikah members who had betrayed the crown in favor of serving Calamity Ganon. This fact wasn't as good as the ones before. 

Sitting in his cell had given him a lot of time to simply think. Sure, he was without armor and any of his items, but it could be worse. He could be dead. The Lolian snorted as he absently played around with the bracelet around his wrist. It was the only item he had at hand and Ravio had to admit that he had long since forgotten about the gift of his dear friend. He hummed to himself, a hand on the bracelet, as he leaned his head back against the cold stone wall. 

His bracelet began to glow a faint purple. 

Green eyes widened and Ravio jumped onto his feet, his heart racing. He quickly looked down the long hall but the guards weren’t paying attention to him. Good. This was good. Great, even. 

The merchant took a shaking breath and focused on the accessory on his wrist. He concentrated his magic on the gem and once again it glowed in a familiar purple hue. There was no mistake, the item was magical.

The problem was finding out what it could do. 

Ravio wasted several minutes of his life as a prisoner simply shaking his arm in any direction he could think of. But nothing happened. No flames or explosions went off, no wings appeared on his back that would carry him out of the dungeon. He groaned in annoyance and returned to his favourite spot in the darkened room. When Ravio reached out to lean against the stone, he found no resistance.

He fell straight into the wall. 

It was an odd sensation, to say the least. Ravio felt as if he was underwater and to his surprise he even managed to walk inside the wall. His vision was blurred at the sides and the faint conversations of the guards seemed miles away. Concentrating his magic in his center, Ravio pushed forward and with a gasp he broke through the surface of the wall, falling straight onto his nose. He cried out in pain and rubbed his face, whimpering when his nose felt broken.

“What’s going on in there?” a guard called over and Ravio didn’t try to hide his whine when he replied. 

“I tripped and fell!”

A moment of stunned silence.

“Do we really have to kill the hero? I doubt he can take Lord Ganon on. If we just release him he will get himself killed.” One of them mumbled and honestly? Rude. “I know but orders are orders. Master Kohga wants to kill him himself so we gotta keep an eye on him. Just ignore him, it’s your turn to pick a card anyway.”

The Lolian huffed and got up again. It was probably to his advantage that they all seemed to underestimate him but it still hurt to be talked down to. With a sigh he touched the wall again, focusing his magic. It didn’t seem to drain too much but who knew just how far he could get before he would have to take a break. 

Another added disadvantage was that he didn’t know the layout of their secret base. Searching for a map would most likely be a waste of time so his best shot would be to find a direct way out. Taking a deep breath, Ravio considered his odds. There was either the slim chance of escape or waiting for this master to kill him. 

He reentered the wall. 

Ravio made it out of his cell and through the long hallway. He passed by an entrance that seemingly led into a storage room and continued his escape until he entered a huge room. Several of those bigger guards were patrolling here and he felt his heart racing. As long as he was in the wall they wouldn’t notice him but the strain it put onto his magic had become bigger and bigger. His focus began to slip and Ravio whimpered soundlessly as a ringing sound began to notify him of his limits. He needed to find a place to rest. 

Fast.

Crossing the room was a lot more difficult than he had expected. Boxes had been stacked in front of walls and he had to learn the hard way that he couldn’t move through any movable objects. No matter the direction he walked in, he couldn’t reach the exit and panic began to spread through his veins. The clock was ticking and with the slip of his emotions so slipped his magic.

Falling out of the wall, Ravio gasped loudly for air. 

He was trembling all over and it was difficult to breathe. It was no surprise when one of the bigger soldiers caught sight of him and a loud horn went off, causing the exits to be blocked immediately. Ravio felt too weak to fight back so when his neck was grabbed, he could only hold onto the hand and its iron grip. Green began to water and the low voice of the clan member shook through his body.

“Looks like we need to teach you a lesson,  _ hero.”  _

He didn’t see the first fist coming for his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see the boys in not only their vai outfits but also in the fight scene from last chapter, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/623414849863598080/the-boys-fighting-in-gerudo-clothes-its-more)
> 
> [Click here to see the boys as chibis in their vai outfits and Ravio treating a wound of Link's, drawn by mildlycuriousdragon!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/623381865956622336/teeny-tiny-boys-from-farbsturzs-nothing-more)
> 
> Protective and pissed off Link is a force you shouldn't mess with. I hope I succeeded in describing him as quite impulsive and wild. He doesn't stop to think, he acts out on his anger and if Riju hadn't been such a good sport he would have tried to take them all on. I wanted him to be irrational and short on patience because below all that wrath boils this terrifying realization that this was all his fault. Whatever the Yiga Clan would do to Ravio would be on him. 
> 
> And then we got Ravio. Remember how Hilda gave him the bracelet in the 2nd chapter of this fic and I never used it? Well, here it is. I know I didn't particularly followed the exact structure of the hideout, I used some liberty here and there but the end room where Ravio got caught is one of those annoying ones with all the Blademasters in the stealth section of the game. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	38. Trust me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link continues to explore the hideout and finally finds Ravio. He's not happy with the state his friend is in.

Panting heavily, Link kicked the unconscious body away from himself. He stood in a large room and after what had felt like an eternity he had finally gotten rid of the remaining yiga members who had dared to attack him. His body was bruised all over and he had suffered a few nasty cuts but the adrenaline kept him from feeling any pain. 

A voice inside his head, one with a familiar accent, chastised him for being so reckless. The voice knew that he had triggered the alarm on purpose, that he hadn’t even tried to be silent but Link simply glared at the ground as he used the clothes of a yiga member to clean his sword. 

Link wanted them to know that he was coming. He wanted them to send their best men only to receive no reply. This clan had taken someone from him and he would wipe them all out, every last one who dared to stand between him and Ravio.

Walking mindlessly through the big room, Link stopped in his tracks when he noticed something glowing from on top of a box. He hurried over and climbed up, his eyes widening when he realized what he had found.

The Bow of Light.

Trembling hands reached for the weapon and Link felt cold when he spotted a few specks of blood on it. He prayed to both Hylia and Lolia that these belonged to an enemy. The hero jumped down again and safely put the bow away into his slate. He needed to take care of Ravio’s chosen weapon, after all his friend would want it back once they had been reunited.

The Hylian entered a storage room. At first glance there was nothing special about it but he noticed some metal in one of the walls. Pulling out his slate, Link activated his magnetic rune and just as expected, he could move a secret door. 

Who would have known that the exit would be hidden in such a plain room of all things.

Exiting the hideout, Link found himself in a huge colosseum like place. It was a round arena contained by rocky hills with a big hole in the middle. But the Hylian didn’t have time to admire the odd location when two people drew his attention.

One had to be the leader of the Yiga Clan. Master Kohga, Riju had called him. He didn’t look any more impressive than his foot soldiers. Donning the same uniform as his members, this guy only separated himself by the high collar and fancier mask. But Link didn’t look at him.

He looked at what the leader held onto.

Ravio looked absolutely miserable. He was still wearing the Gerudo set and it revealed dozens of bruises and cuts. One of his eyes had been punched black to where he couldn’t open it anymore and his lip was bleeding. The Lolian had been forced to kneel in front of Kohga and the yiga held onto his hair, pulling at it from time to time. 

Link saw red.

“Ah! There you are! You must be the true hero of Hyrule, right? My good for nothing soldiers accidentally kidnapped the wrong guy but when I found out I thought to myself ‘Hey, maybe we can use this guy as a decoy’ and now look at that! I was right! I always knew that I was a genius but sometimes I surprise myself!”

The Hylian wasn’t listening. His eyes were focused on his friend and there was a foreign wrath boiling under his skin. He had never considered himself a violent person, had never wanted to harm more than necessary. But in this moment Link was ready to do anything to get Ravio back. If a sword was a burden he was more than willing to carry its consequences if it assured his friend’s well-being. 

Taking a step forward, Link was stopped by a dagger against Ravio’s throat.

“Now, we don’t want to do anything stupid, do we?” the leader sang and it was obvious how much he enjoyed his position of power. Link bared his teeth and growled but he stayed where he was. 

“How about we make a deal, hero? We both got something the other wants. You clearly want this weakling back and I… Well, I want your life. So how about you put your little toy away and offer yourself up and I let your friend go? That is, if he can even stand at this point.” There was amusement in Kohga’s voice and Link narrowed his eyes. His fingers twitched but he couldn’t risk Ravio getting hurt. A single green eye met his gaze and his friend lightly shook his head.

_Don’t do it._ The action read. _Don’t sacrifice yourself._

Blue turned pleading but Ravio once again shook his head ever so slightly. Link could see the way his friend’s lips quivered with pain but the ever so brave Lolian didn’t make a single sound. 

Goddess, he loved him so much.

Whatever words the leader was saying, Link didn’t listen. He was hyper aware of how his friend slowly lifted his hands so as to not draw any attention and Ravio signed two words that Link had heard so often on their shared journey.

_“Trust me.”_

Every cell in his body screamed at him to act, to hurt, to _kill_. But Link stayed put. The temptation of his boiling wrath was alluring but he trusted Ravio with his life. He would follow any order his friend would give him. 

Straightening his back, Link glared at the leader again as the Lolian used his fingers to slowly count down from 5. 

“So? What is your answer, dearest hero? We got a deal?”

_4_

“Or do you want me to simply behead your friend right here and throw his body into the pit?”

_3_

“You’d better answer quickly, I’m not known for my patience.”

_2_

“I take your silence as a no.”

_1_

“That’s too bad, I had hoped we could converse like civilize—” 

Link watched tensely as Ravio reached for the hand in his hair, his nails digging into skin as sparks of lightning appeared around their point of contact. The leader screamed in surprise and let go of the Lolian, kicking him away and that was all the distraction the hero needed. Drawing his bow, time slowed down for him as he took aim. For just a second the arrow pointed at Kohga’s head but it changed its course to his shoulder at the last moment. Letting go, Link didn’t wait for the arrow to hit its mark. He was already sprinting over to the two, tightening his hold on the Master Sword. 

Kohga’s reaction time was laughable. He had barely recovered from the shock and the arrow when Link already stood in front of him, slashing through his armor and chest. The leader was a pathetic excuse of a warrior and Link kept the upper hand throughout their whole fight. No matter how often Kohga tried to deflect one of his attacks, the Hylian would simply change his pattern and continue the flurry of blows. Within minutes the leader was cowering in a corner and Link stood in front of him, sword held high with both hands on its hilt. He was panting heavily as he bared his teeth, an endless anger fueling his next decision. Readjusting his hold on his sword, Link aimed for the leader’s chest as he moved the weapon down.

“Link.”

He stopped just as his sword touched the yiga’s tunic. The Hylian growled under his breath but he didn’t, no, _couldn’t_ move. Not when that weak voice asked him not to.

“Look at me.”

Link didn’t want to. He didn’t want to see what pain his simple existence had caused his friend. 

“Please.”

Withdrawing his sword, Link stepped away from the leader in order to turn around. Ravio was barely standing on his own two legs, a hand covering his left side where a cut had been bleeding for a while. Blue eyes took in the sorry state of the Lolian and Link averted his gaze in shame.

“Come here.” 

His body moved without his input. The exhaustion of the day finally broke down on him and Link fell to his knees in front of Ravio, not daring to look up just then. The Hylian felt like crying and any anger he had previously felt had been replaced by worry and an unconditional love. 

Ravio carefully kneeled down in front of him and colder than usual hands cupped his cheeks. Link didn’t care that the action covered him in blood as well, all he could do was stare at his friend.

“Breathe for me.”

Link didn’t understand. His friend had been the one who had gotten hurt and he told _him_ to breathe? The Hylian shook his head, he needed to treat the damn wounds or do anything else but that endless green kept him captive and Ravio breathed in, louder than necessary. Knowing how headstrong his friend was, Link reluctantly followed the order and he took a breath alongside the Lolian. For a moment the two travellers simply breathed together and whatever panic Link had felt slowly dissolved into concern. 

Ravio smiled weakly as he wiped a few of the Hylian’s tears away. 

“I knew you would come for me, Mr. Hero.”

He couldn’t hold himself together anymore. Releasing all the fear and anger, Link started to cry in earnest as he fell into his friend’s arms. Gentle fingers ran through his hair and Link clung to his friend as the other mumbled words of encouragement. A kiss was placed onto his head and Link buried his face in the other’s neck.

“It’s okay… We are okay…” 

* * *

Link had never been this thankful for the teleporting ability of his slate. It took them right to the gates of Gerudo Town and after a quick change of clothes the Hylian carried his unconscious friend straight to the palace. Once again he entered without warning but this time no one dared to stop him. He grunted under the weight of the unmoving Lolian but he made it to the throne room and threw the damned Thunder Helm at a guard that stood nearby.

Glaring daggers at the chief, Link came to a stop.

“Buliara, please help Link with his wounded friend.” Riju spoke softly. Her personal guard attempted to take Ravio from him but the Hylian bared his teeth and growled, pulling away from the soldier. The two women exchanged glances and Riju stood up from her throne.

“Link, Buliara will take you to our medical facilities. Our healers are already awaiting you and I assure you that your friend will be in the best hands. Our professionals have studied across all of Hyrule and they are the best in their field only second to the Sheikahs.”

He reluctantly followed the Gerudo to another building and just as promised a medical room had been prepared for them. As carefully as he could, Link placed his partner on the bed and three healers pushed past him to get a better look at the Lolian’s wounds. Ravio whimpered under the gentle hands but he didn’t wake up. 

“The chief has prepared a room for you as well, hero. It is advised that you take a bath before one of our healers takes a look at your wounds as well.” Buliara said and Link narrowed his eyes at her. The idea of leaving Ravio’s side for even a second didn’t fit right with him but the familiar voice in his head told him that there was nothing he could do at the moment. It would be for the best if Link took care of himself first so that Ravio wouldn’t have anything to complain about once he woke up.

Sighing in defeat, Link finally nodded and allowed a guard to lead him towards a room not too far away. It had no windows and a single bathtub stood in its middle. A pair of fresh Gerudo clothes rested on its side and Link locked the door behind himself. 

He had a feeling this room had been explicitly created for men who had managed to sneak in.

The hot water felt nice against his sore muscles. For just a moment Link allowed himself to breathe out and lean back in the warmth. The exhaustion was washed away and after cleaning his body as best as he could without upsetting his own injuries, Link exited the bath to get dressed. He returned to the medical building with his hair still dripping wet but the Hylian had been too impatient to properly dry himself. A healer guided him towards an empty bed and after sitting down, Link allowed her to treat his wounds and bandage anything up that needed more attention. He had suffered more damage than he could remember and in the end he was left bandaged up from head to toe. 

Ravio was still looked after when he reentered his friend’s room. Just like him the Lolian had been wrapped up in gauzes and Link took a place beside him, holding a cold hand in his own. He watched in silence as the healers worked but he didn’t leave the Lolian’s side again. Even after they had been left alone with a tray of food, Link never looked away from Ravio’s sleeping face. The merchant looked peaceful and the hero thanked the Goddesses that he hadn’t been too late. Laying down on the edge of the bed, Link intertwined his hand with Ravio’s.

They were okay. They were alive and well.

He pressed a kiss to his friend’s forehead. 

_I love you, Ravio._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see Ravio in his painting form, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/623486784692748288/sneaking-through-the-yiga-hideout-like-a-pro-i)
> 
> Hurray reunion? I wanted to write Link being blinded by rage, his body was fully moving on adrenaline and after seeing the sorry state his friend was in, he was fully prepared to kill Kohga. It's a good thing that Ravio managed to pull him out of that wrath. I was also trying to mirror/make a callback to another scene that happened quite a while ago.
> 
> If anyone is confused about what Ravio did, here is a small paragraph from chapter 18, aka the magic lesson!
> 
> "Lorule is filled with magic, so much that if you know your formulas and theories you can create lightning between your fingers. Not enough to harm or be useful, but a small spark can be ignited simply by breathing in the air. You can do the same here in Hyrule but it takes a lot more effort and drains you way faster.”
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	39. The fight against Vah Naboris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link is forced to leave Ravio's side in order to put an end to a giant mechanical camel. But this time he is alone.

The moment Ravio started complaining Link knew he would be alright. 

His friend had slept through a whole day before regaining consciousness and it took an extra day for him to stay awake for longer periods of time. Now they were both sitting on Ravio’s bed after the Hylian had cooked them some hot stew. Several Gerudos had offered to provide food but Link had declined all their offers. Cooking was a distraction for him and he knew that the Lolian enjoyed his food.

“Like, don’t get me wrong, these wounds hurt like shit but I know they will heal. But those emotional scars I’ve suffered from listening for hours to discussions about the different banana types that exist and the pros and cons of mighty bananas? They will stay with me forever.”

Smiling softly, Link rested his head on his friend’s shoulder, careful not to upset any of his wounds. He had already finished his own bowl and wanted to simply enjoy the warmth of the Lolian. 

“Do you think Hilda knew about the bracelet’s ability? Or did she just try to get rid of an ancient and bad smelling artefact, and thought that Hyrule would be a good dumpster?” 

He snorted in reply and closed his eyes as his hand rested on the other’s leg.

“You’re absolutely right… it’s probably both.”

Their peaceful moment was interrupted when the door opened, revealing one of the guards. Tensing up, Link knew that he was currently dressed in only a shirt and pants. He hadn’t bothered with the Gerudo set in the past two days because he hadn’t left Ravio’s side. 

“Champion Link, lady Riju asked for your presence. I have been informed it’s about the Divine Beast.”

The guard bowed down and left the room, leaving the two friends once again to themselves. With a sigh Link climbed out of their shared bed and began to undress, knowing that the Lolian was most likely averting his gaze like he always did.

“Just give me a moment and I’ll be…” But Link didn’t let him finish his sentence. With a gentle but determined hand he pushed his friend back into the pillow and shook his head.

_“You are in no position to stand, let alone fight.”_

“But Link!” Ravio whined though the Hylian didn’t cave. He finished changing into his vai clothes and once he was satisfied with his appearance, Link leaned in to kiss the merchant’s forehead.

_“I promise I will come back once I’ve talked to her. But you stay here.”_

Looking over to where Sheerow was resting on Ravio’s scarf, Link pointed at the Lolian and shook his head. The bird chirped dutifully and flew over to rest in dark hair, clearly having understood its order. 

“I can’t believe you are using ‘Row against me.”

Link simply smiled and squeezed a cold hand before leaving the room to meet up with the chief. 

Riju was already awaiting him when he entered the throne room. The Hylian hesitantly bowed and a joyful laughter echoed through the palace as the chief smiled at him. “Better late than never, right?” She pushed herself off her throne and reached for the Thunder Helm that had been displayed next to her. 

“In the name of my people I humbly ask for your help in the fight against the Divine Beast Vah Naboris, hero Link. Please lend us a hand so we can finally return peace to the endless deserts of Hyrule.”

Straightening his back, Link placed a hand on his chest and bowed again. _“I will do what I can. It’s the least I can do in return for my friend’s treatment.”_

Riju hummed in agreement and walked down the stairs to stand by his side. She smiled and lightly punched his arm. “Naboris can be located to the east of Gerudo Town. I will travel ahead and wait at a nearby lookout perch for you, better not keep me waiting for too long.” With that the chief and Buliara left the throne room and Link sighed to himself. He knew he didn’t have long but the Hylian wanted to keep his promise and return to his friend.

The walk back was a quick one.

Ravio was still sitting on his bed but he had taken it upon himself to maintain his inventory. Several magical rods were lying around and Link almost tripped over a hammer when he reentered the room. His weak glare only got a toothy grin in return.

“So what’s the status, Mr. Hero?”

Explaining the situation, the merchant simply hummed as he stared down at his bandaged hands. It was clear that his friend was troubled and a sigh finally escaped him.

“Look, I know this is important and all but I still wish I could accompany you. What kind of support am I if I just let you go by yourself?” He lifted his hand when Link was about to protest. “I know that right now I would only be a burden to you. I hate to admit it but I would only drag you down.” 

A hand was offered to him and Link took it without thinking. He was led over to the bed and the Hylian sat down on its edge, waiting for whatever Ravio had planned. The merchant fiddled around with the sand rod before holding it out for the hero to take. 

“I know it’s not a lot but… please take this with you. You got fire, shock and ice arrows but maybe the sand rod will be helpful in one way or another. It’s fueled by convictions. The more you believe in something the stronger it will be. It can create any shape out of sand but always remember to be creative. You can find elements in the weirdest places, don’t be satisfied with the obvious answers.”

Link couldn’t help but smile. Even when hurt Ravio could easily switch into his teacher personality and it warmed his heart. Taking the rod, Link put it into his slate when he noticed another stored weapon. A moment later he was holding the Bow of Light and offered it to his friend. Ravio widened his healthy eye and carefully took the weapon from him. Green was filled with both relief and love, and Link didn’t resist when he was pulled into a lingering kiss.

“Thank you for returning it.” Goddess, Ravio’s voice sounded so small that the Hylian nudged their noses together in silent comfort. He stole one more kiss before pushing himself off the bed. 

The sooner he freed the Divine Beast the sooner he could return to the merchant.

“Link?” 

The Hylian hesitated and looked over his shoulder towards his smiling friend who was hugging the bow.

“Please come back to me safely.”

He nodded. 

* * *

Sand seal surfing would be in his top 5 manners of transport if it wasn’t for the current situation. Link and Riju were surfing around the Divine Beast’s legs and the hero would definitely enjoy the new experience more if Vah Naboris would just stop shooting lightning at the two of them. Aiming for the remaining hoove of the giant mechanical camel, Link took a deep breath before releasing one of his bomb arrows. 

“Good job!” Riju yelled over the sound of Naboris malfunctioning. Just as before the Divine Beast stopped functioning and the two of them came to a stop not too far away. Link could make out a hatch that would allow him entrance to the creature.

“I’m afraid I cannot accompany you any further, Link. But I have faith in you, this is the last Beast you must tame and I’m confident you will succeed.” Riju put a hand on his arm and squeezed before turning her sand seal around. “I will return to Gerudo Town and inform your significant other of your success.”

Turning red at the term of endearment, Link faced away and simply nodded. He could hear the chief chuckle behind him but he didn’t pay her any more attention. The hero reached for his slate and looked through his inventory before summoning the sand rod. His eyes softened as he held the item in his hands, cherishing it and the person who had given it to him.

Link had more than enough convictions he could focus on. Summoning the sand around himself, the Hylian focused on his belief that Ravio was a hero. He created a pillar just like his friend had done many times before and the adventurer watched in awe as the sand became solid underneath his feet, pushing him up towards the entrance of the beast. His admiration turned into determination and Link narrowed his eyes as he jumped through the hatch into Naboris. 

This was their last trial before Calamity Ganon.

Just like the other Divine Beasts, this one too could be moved around with the help of his slate. Link wasn’t as fast as Ravio when it came to recognizing patterns but through the tactical strategy of trial and error he slowly fought his way through the mechanical camel. It felt weird, wandering through the beast by himself. Link had grown so accustomed to the Lolian’s voice echoing through the empty rooms that it felt somehow wrong to only hear his own footsteps. It didn’t sit right with him, especially after they had just been forcefully separated before. 

Kicking a small pebble away, Link sighed as he continued his search for the remaining terminals. He didn’t know how much time had passed when he had finally made it back to the main unit but by now the Hylian was all sweaty from the desert sun. The air was unbearably hot and he downed what little water he had left before placing the slate onto the control pad. Just as expected, malice began to form at the top of the unit and just a few seconds later Link was facing the last soldier of Ganon. Drawing his sword and shield, the hero bared his teeth.

* * *

Link watched as the now freed Vah Naboris got into a new position, a red beam shooting from its mouth towards the castle. He sighed in exhaustion and held his bruised arm as he began the long walk back to Gerudo Town. 

They had done it. They had helped each Divine Beast.

His arrival in the town was greeted with satisfied nods and a few compliments here and there. The Gerudos were a lot more composed than say the Gorons but Link was grateful for the distance most of them kept. He felt sore and exhausted, and the burning sun hadn’t helped his mood at all. The walk to the palace was mostly a quiet one and once he entered the throne room, Link couldn’t help but smile.

Ravio was waiting for him, a crutch under his right arm to support most of his weight. He was still covered in bandages but he looked better than he had in the morning, and the hero felt any worry leaving his body as his friend clumsily stumbled over to him. Opening his arms, Link chuckled softly when the Lolian literally fell into them, his laughter echoing through the room.

“Damn, I guess I fell for you, Mr. Hero.” The merchant joked as he figured the crutch out with the help of the Hylian. Their eyes met and Link couldn’t stop himself from cupping freckled cheeks as he pulled his friend into a much needed kiss. Ravio returned the affection with a hum until a cleared throat forced them apart. Link looked over the merchant’s shoulder towards Riju and the girl was watching them in amusement. Ravio’s cheeks flushed red and the hero simply placed another kiss onto his forehead.

“I have already been informed about your success, champion Link. I cannot thank you enough. Not only have you freed us from Vah Naboris’ wrath, you have also fought back against the troublesome yiga clan. I and every Gerudo are in your debt, hero. If there is anything we can do for you please tell us.”

Riju smiled softly and Link returned it in kind. He knew just how much responsibility must have been resting on her shoulders and it was truly an amazing task that she had already made it so far. Bowing lowly, Link glanced over to Ravio who nudged his side. 

_“I appreciate your kindness and I don’t want to be rude but…”_ He licked his lips. _“If it’s okay I want to leave as soon as my companion’s wounds have healed.”_

Understanding washed over the Lolian’s face and he reached out to intertwine their hands. “We have a long journey behind us, Lady Riju. I think what Link and I want the most right now is to return home and rest for a few days. We are aware that Calamity Ganon needs to be stopped as soon as possible…” Link squeezed his friend’s hand in encouragement. “But we also need a break. We travelled through icy mountains, jumped into a volcano, encountered the likes of Hinox and Lynels.” 

The chief nodded and stood up from her throne to walk over to the two boys. She smiled and Link blinked in surprise when she pulled both travellers into a hug. 

“Of course. Hyrule has waited so long for this day, I’m sure it can wait a little bit longer.” Leaning back, Riju grinned as she bowed down in front of them, causing the present guards to gasp. 

“Thank you, hero Link, hero Ravio. Once this is all over please feel free to visit me for some tea.”

“Sure thing, those clothes sure got their advantages, after all.” Ravio joked as he wrapped an arm around Link’s waist. The Hylian rolled his eyes but still leaned into the embrace. 

Their final battle waited for them but for now Link would allow himself to be selfish, even if it was just for a few days. 

He would cherish whatever time they had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see Ravio and Link dancing together in Rito Village, drawn by theshortestalchemist!](https://theshortestalchemist.tumblr.com/post/623552988416475136/stay-with-me-for-as-long-as-you-will-have)
> 
> [Click here to see an alternate chapter 38 in which the Yiga Clan befriends Ravio and lets him go, drawn by shirebeast!](https://shirebeast.tumblr.com/post/623563678287052801/linkexe-has-stopped-working-au-where-the-yiga)
> 
> [Click here to see another painting version of Ravio but this time in his original outfit, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/623606874080690176/i-had-so-much-fun-drawing-paintedravio-that-i)
> 
> And this marks the end of the Gerudo arc. Prepare yourself for tomorrow's chapter because it's one of my favourites. And after that? Well, I guess it's about time the boys will knock on the castle's door. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	40. A small taste of a much bigger life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio take a few days off to simply enjoy life. They play house, revisit the beginning of their adventure, and have a heart to heart talk.

Standing in their kitchen, Link listened to Sheerow’s musical chirping as he watched over their stew. He used his apron to clean his hands and offered the small bird some seeds when the door opened, revealing a happy merchant with messy hair and a grin on his lips.

“I’m home!” Ravio loudly exclaimed even though their house was made of a single room. The merchant was quick to cross the distance between the two of them and Link smiled when an arm wrapped around his waist. A kiss was clumsily placed on his cheek though the Hylian was quick to slap a hand away that had tried to sneakily grab a carrot from the counter. 

“Come on, Mr. Hero.” the merchant whined “You can’t expect me to wait until dinner, I’m gonna starve!” 

Shrugging his shoulders, Link was fully prepared to take his chances. Ravio pouted but when the hero leaned in for a kiss, his friend was quick to forgive him. 

_“How did it go?”_ he asked as he pointed towards the bag that had been carelessly thrown to the ground.

“Great! I did find everything I need in order to make a lightning rod but there is still the annoying detail of not having a forge to work with. Like, I can’t just use anyone’s, it’s gotta be tuned for magic. I might have to wait until after the events so I can build one myself.”

Link simply nodded along and gestured towards their cupboard. _“Dinner is almost ready. Go and set the table.”_

His reply was a whine.

“Don’t wanna.”

Narrowing his eyes, the Hylian looked towards his friend. He repeated the signs slowly. _“Set. The. Table.”_ A shit eating grin rested on Ravio’s lips as he nonchalantly walked away from the Hylian and towards a wall. Blue eyes widened in understanding but before Link could grab his friend, the merchant had already disappeared into the wall. An odd drawing decorated the wall where the Lolian had previously stood and Link simply crossed his arms, the neutral look of disapprovement on his face.

He tapped his foot once.

Twice.

The drawing began to walk around him but Link didn’t turn around when a light signaled his friend’s return. Cold arms wrapped around him from behind and there was a kiss on his neck.

“You play unfairly, you know that? I can handle your pissed look but the disapproving one? That’s a low blow, buddy. You know I will feel guilty.” 

Link’s reply was to shove two bowls into his partner’s hands. 

“Alright, alright, you won.” Ravio laughed and the Hylian smiled to himself. It had been three days since they had returned to Hateno Village and the hero knew that their time was running out. They had agreed on five days of peace before heading towards the castle. Five days of playing pretend and forgetting about their destinies. No one knew how their fight against Calamity Ganon would end and even though Link wanted to believe that they would both come out unharmed, the fear of losing the Lolian was always there. He tried so hard to push the thoughts away but he could see in Ravio’s eyes that his friend too was haunted by the reality of their situation. They could play house for as long as they wanted but there would never be a truly peaceful day until they had fought one last time. 

“The plan still stands, right? After dinner we will go and visit Kakariko Village?” 

Nodding, Link carried the pot of stew over to their dining table. Ravio had already sat down and was currently filling their glasses with water. A mumbled thanks could be heard and Link reached for a bowl.

_“Yes. Back then Impa had asked me to come see her again once the Divine Beasts were free.”_

The merchant hummed and pointed his spoon at Link. “Goddess, so much time has passed since the day we met. Back then I was so awkward around you but now it feels like years had passed since then.” His voice softened and there was so much affection in green eyes that Link had to swallow a lump in his throat. Ravio placed his hand on the table and the Hylian took it, intertwining their fingers.

“I was so afraid when Hilda had asked me to leave everything I knew behind for a kingdom I had only heard about in legends. You should have seen me when I first woke up in the Temple of Time. I was so scared and insecure. I was only a small speck in a big world and I didn’t think I could make it a week here.” Ravio guided their joined hands to his lips and he pressed a kiss to Link’s knuckles. “I have changed so much thanks to you. I know it wasn’t always easy but you were there for me, Link… Coming to Hyrule had been the best decision I had ever made. And no matter what will await us, I would leave everything behind in a heartbeat if it meant reliving those memories with you. You are the best that has happened to me.”

Feeling his heart flutter, Link squeezed the hand in his and imitated the action of his friend. There was no need for him to return the words, they both knew they felt the same. It was probably one of Link’s favourite aspects about the Lolian.

They continued to eat in a comforting silence and once they were done, the merchant began to clean their bowls as Link went outside to prepare Spot for their little trip. The horse had its own stable just next to their house and Link greeted their loyal companion with an apple. Once the saddle and bridle were in place, Ravio exited their home with Sheerow perched on his shoulders. His friend didn’t bother pulling his hood up, instead he went straight to mounting Spot. Familiar arms wrapped around his waist and Link grinned.

_“You know I could tame a horse for you?”_

The Lolian snorted and tightened his hold, clearly a sign of possessiveness. Link leaned back against the comfortable chest. 

“You could but then I wouldn’t be able to hold you anymore. So no thanks, I prefer being able to just lean back and let you do all the work.”

_“You are just too lazy.”_ Link signed with a deadpan expression and his friend laughed as he kissed his neck. “You know me too well, Mr. Hero.”  
  


The journey to Kakariko Village was a peaceful one. The two travellers rode through the forests of Hyrule and only stopped to collect apples and mushrooms on their way. The few Bokoblins that dared to interrupt their trip were easily taken care of with their bows and the silence of nature was filled with Ravio’s stories and comments. 

It was weird, being back in Kakariko. Link remembered how confused he had been when they had first arrived, how lost he had been in the expectations and responsibilities. He felt like a completely different person returning to the beginning of his journey. 

The two guards from all those months ago still kept watch at the entrance to the main building. Link could see them straightening their backs, though their expressions turned into welcoming smiles when they seemingly recognized him.

“The hero has returned! Please, go right ahead, Elder Impa is already awaiting you.” Link took a few steps forward but he stopped when the Sheikah members crossed their weapons behind him, separating him from Ravio.

“ _Only_ the hero is expected. I’m sorry but you will have to wait outside.”

Green eyes looked startled and Link could see how his friend pulled his head between his shoulders, already appearing so much smaller. He sharpened his own expression and pushed the weapons aside much to the surprise of the guards. 

“Hero, but what...?”

_“This merchant is as much of a hero as I am. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t stand here today. Either you will give us both permission or Impa will have to dispense with me.”_

Taking Ravio’s hand into his own, Link held his head high. He never looked away from the guards, silently daring them to challenge him. Back then the Hylian had started his quest without Ravio but he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. Their fingers were intertwined and his message was clear. 

They were a duo. 

The guards exchanged a glance and hesitantly moved to the sides, gesturing for Ravio to enter as well. Link didn’t look back to his friend, he simply began to walk as he pulled the Lolian along, a squeeze of his hand all the acknowledgement he needed. 

Impa was once again sitting on her pile of pillows.

“It’s been a while, Link.” the elderly woman said, an eye cracking open to look at his companion. He felt how Ravio went to hide behind him but Link took a step to the side, fully showing him off. The hand in his was tense but the Hylian stood his ground.

“And who might that be?”

“Please don’t mind me, miss, I’m just a simpl—” _“He is the Hero of Lorule who has been sent to us to help me on my journey.”_

There was a stunned silence as two people stared at Link, one out of surprise and the other out of fear. 

“Lorule but… is that even possible?”

The Lolian flinched under the attention he was getting but the hero simply nudged his side. Their eyes met and Link nodded. It was about time Ravio stood up for who he truly was.

“It is, miss…” With a small sigh Ravio removed his glove and Link watched in satisfaction as Impa’s eyes quickly moved between the two of them. “My name is Ravio… I was sent here by my princess after she had dreams about Hyrule’s demise. Lorule has never forgotten the mercy and kindness that the Hyruleans had shown us in our darkest hour and I guess… I guess I was sent here to finally repay our debt.” 

_“He has been by my side throughout my whole journey. He helped me with the Divine Beasts and he was with me when I found the Master Sword.”_ Halting in his movements, Link bit his lips as he contemplated his next few words. _“Impa, we are going to fight Calamity Ganon and no one knows what will happen. But I need to make sure that no matter what, Hyrule’s history will remember Ravio and his deeds. I want it to be written down that Lorule’s hero aided us when we were at our lowest.”_

He could feel green eyes on his person but Link needed to finish what he had to say. _“Make it known that the Hero of Lorule travelled through time and space to stand by my side. That he was brave, kind, and the voice of reason in times of chaos. I, Hero of Hyrule, could not have asked for a better companion and Lorule should be remembered as such. A partner we can count on.”_

“Oh Link…” The Lolian’s voice was barely a whisper and a moment later he felt himself being pulled into a hug. Ravio hid his face in his neck and Link felt the shaking breaths against his skin. His friend was trembling but the Hylian knew it wasn’t sadness that had caused such a reaction. It was the love for him that Link had felt so often throughout their shared journey. He returned the hug and breathed in the calming scent of home. 

“... Very well, Link. I will respect your wish and personally make sure that your story will be told the way you envision it. If what you say is true then we truly owe our allies in Lorule. Even if worlds separate us, the goodness of people’s hearts will always connect us.” 

Leaning back in the embrace, Link sent her a thankful nod before he returned his attention to his friend. He whistled lowly and once Ravio looked at him, the Hylian cupped his cheeks to pull him into a lingering kiss. Link didn’t care that they were not alone, he needed to show his partner just how much he had meant his words. 

Impa had enough sense of tact not to interrupt them.

They parted again but Link rubbed their noses together in an affectionate gesture. The smile on the Lolian’s lips made his heart flutter and he knew right then he had done the right thing.

“Please let me thank you as well then, Hero of Lorule. It must have been a great sacrifice for you to come all the way here but I am pleased to see that Hyrule has welcomed you with open arms.” 

They both grew red and Link buried his face in his friend’s neck before Ravio had the chance of hiding himself.

“N-No problem… And yeah, sure, Hyrule has been incredibly nice to me.” Link could hear the underlining joke and he simply snorted. An arm came to rest around him and when Ravio next spoke up, his voice was soft and loving. “Hyrule has allowed me to finally find a place in this wild world and I know who I am now. You are truly fortunate to have a kingdom like this… almost as fortunate as me.” 

There were some rustling sounds coming from Impa and Link looked up from his embrace to see the elderly woman holding up a blue tunic. Furrowing his brows, he accepted the gift even though its appearance caused his head to throb slightly. 

“This used to be your champion tunic, Link. It is only fair that I return it to you before your final battle.” 

Impa smiled softly at them and nodded her head. “Now go, prepare however you seem fit and then travel to Hyrule’s Castle. The princess has waited long enough for your return, hero.”

* * *

The last two remaining days passed by in a dream. Ravio and Link used their time to sleep in, explore Hateno Village and its surroundings, ride Spot around, or stay at home in their shared house. 

It was a small taste of a much bigger life they both yearned for.

Laying in bed, Link played around with his friend’s hair. Ravio was resting on the Hylian’s chest, his arms crossed with his head on top as they simply stared at each other. They both knew what awaited them the next day but neither had mentioned it yet. Link didn’t want to think about the endless possibilities. He wanted to stay here in Hateno, wanted to retire from a destiny that had been forced onto him. And yet the Hylian knew that he could never turn his back on Hyrule. No matter how tempting the thoughts were of running away with Ravio, they were only that. Thoughts. In the end Link would always come running for the people who needed him. Whether that was all him or that Hero’s Spirit, the adventurer didn’t know. 

Ravio cocked his head and lightly touched the spot between his eyes. “You are worrying again.” It didn’t need any further questions, they both knew what was hanging in the air. The Lolian sighed and leaned into the hand in his hair. In the dim light of their house Link was reminded of the first time he had seen Ravio. It had been right here, in this building, that the truth had been revealed. To them both it was a memory connected to many emotions and revelations but Link would always hold it dear in his heart. That night Ravio had opened up to him and had shared his deepest secrets. It had been a moment of loyalty, trust, and a warmth that would eventually bloom into what he considered was love. 

“I know we both don’t want to talk about it… But I already failed to say goodbye once before and I don’t want to repeat that mistake.” 

Tensing up, Link quickly shook his head. Whatever warmth he had felt was replaced by a cold emptiness and he pleadingly looked at his friend, begging him not to continue. A cold hand came to rest on his cheek and Link leaned into it, never breaking eye contact. Ravio hushed him softly and nudged their noses together.

“I know, I know. I just want to be safe but of course we will both make it through. Please just let me do this. And if it doesn’t end up as a goodbye then I will simply have said my farewells to this journey of ours. After tomorrow this chapter will be closed so don’t take my words as a goodbye but as the end before a new beginning.” 

Ravio waited patiently for his hesitant nod before continuing. 

“I have met many people in my life. As an advisor I travelled through Lorule, I have been to countless political meetings and I have seen every corner of my kingdom. I thought I knew everything there was to know, I never bothered to leave my library to simply walk off the path and get lost in a forest. I had my own little world to hide in, never feeling the urge to explore.” 

“And then I was asked to leave my safe bubble to travel to a place I’ve never been before. Suddenly my perspective of the world was challenged in ways I had never even considered and I realized that there was so much I would never come to know. And strangely I was alright with it. My need to know slowly got replaced by my need to feel, to experience life outside of a library.”

Ravio kissed his forehead.

“My outlook on life has changed since I met you. And your courage and honesty has inspired me to grow beyond what I thought I could be. You made me realize that I could be so much more, that I didn’t have to be a coward who had too big shoes to fill.”

Kissed a spot above his eye.

“I fell in love with your eyes. When I was hanging from that bridge your eyes became my anchor. In them I found all your unsaid thoughts and emotions, they truly are a mirror to your soul. That beautiful blue can challenge the worst storms when you’re angry, it can be as peaceful as the afternoon sky. When I look into your eyes I always feel like everything will be okay.”

Kissed the corner of his lips.

“From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you. Sure, it was a sweaty and freezing and tense and scary journey but I’d never felt this alive. What you have given me can’t be found in any book and it might have taken me awhile to understand my feelings but I know that I lo—” 

Pulling Ravio into a kiss, Link dug his fingers into dark hair in order to shut him up. The Lolian made a questioning sound but Link only made it a point to deepen their kiss. After a scary second Ravio melted into the affection and allowed the Hylian to take the lead. The thumbs on his cheeks caressed his skin and the hero was eventually forced to pull back, his breath uneven. 

_“Tell me after we defeated Ganon.”_

Green widened but when Ravio understood, his eyes softened and he placed a kiss on Link’s chest. 

“As you wish.”

The two travellers stared at each other for several heartbeats before Link felt the need to speak up himself.

_“Your mouth. It is my favourite part. You can be eloquent or silly with your words, you always seem to know what to say, and the sound of your laughter managed to reach me even when I wasn’t myself.”_ His friend tensed up on top of him but Link pressed on. _“Your voice is like music and every emotion has its own symphony. I could listen to you all day and never grow bored of the way you would pronounce things or how your Lolian accent would shine through at times. Your words have always been your biggest strength and you prevent conflicts where I can only end them. Everything about you is fluent. Your movements, your words, your way of handling things. You made me realize that I didn’t have to chase after a life I couldn’t remember. I was allowed to be myself and create myself anew. I may not know yet what this new Link wants, but whatever it is I know I want you by my side.”_

He smiled and kissed those lips he had come to love so much. _“Because I too feel the same for you.”_

The grin he received in return could compete with the sun. They held onto each other, their foreheads touching and neither of them wanted to let go. A weight had been lifted off his shoulder and Link was secretly thankful that he had finally managed to express his feelings. Whatever the future held for them, they would face it together. Just like they had always done. 

* * *

Waking up to an empty bed, Link furrowed his brows. It must have been still in the middle of the night judging by the darkness outside their window but the Hylian rubbed the sleep out of his eyes when Ravio was nowhere to be seen. Sheerow was asleep and their items were still in place so wherever he had gone off to, it couldn’t have been far. Putting his boots on, Link wrapped his hood around him for some extra warmth as he left the comfort of their house. 

Ravio was sitting on a tree stump in front of their little pond. Fireflies peacefully flew around him as the soft sound of a harp echoed through the sleeping night. The way the moonlight shone down on the Lolian made him look like an ethereal creature and the hero made sure to burn the image into his memories.The longer Link listened the more he heard a timid but sure voice join in to the melody that was being played. 

“Maybe by tomorrow, the sun is gonna glow… And maybe by tomorrow, not gonna stub my toe… Or maybe by tomorrow, the snow is gonna blow…”

Smiling to himself, Link should have expected that his friend also had a good singing voice. He quietly crossed the distance and once the fireflies noticed his appearance, they quickly disappeared into every direction. The play faltered for just a moment but Ravio was quick to catch himself as his fingers found their rhythm back. The Hylian sat down on the tree stump and looked up towards the full moon as Ravio played and sang for the two of them.

They were the heroes of Hyrule and Lorule.

They were the restless travellers that had finally found a home to call their own.

They were an adventurer and merchant.

And they would be lovers until the very end.

Nothing more, nothing less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see today's last scene with the harp, beautifully painted by mildlycuriousdragon!](https://mildlycuriousdragon.tumblr.com/post/623719882072162304/one-of-my-fav-scenes-from-farbsturzs-fic-nothing)
> 
> Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the calm before the storm! This is my partner's and my favourite chapter and while there is not a lot of plot, I really wanted to slow the pace and give them a chapter just to themselves, their emotions, and the character growth they both have experienced. From here on out there will be fights, hurt, and a question that will change their dynamic for the better or the worse. 
> 
> A few chapters ago I had mentioned in a smaller sentence that Ravio had gotten a gift from Kass and that he had been allowed to choose it himself. And tada, the gift was the harp! Also bonus points if anyone gets the reference of him singing. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	41. What once was hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link reach Hyrule Castle.

The ride towards Hyrule Castle had been a peaceful one. Then again, their whole morning had seemed so plain it had almost been laughable. They had woken up in their bed, had eaten breakfast like usual, had checked up on their weapons and resources before bribing Spot with another apple. To anyone else it would have looked like their daily routine and yet there was the possibility that they had left their house for the last time. 

Strangely, Ravio wasn’t afraid.

Maybe because he had grown tired of being scared. His life had always been dictated by his insecurities and anxieties, and the Lolian had finally decided to push through his own doubts. The uncertainty was still there but from now on it wouldn’t hold him back anymore. Only the biggest coward was capable of the greatest acts of courage and Ravio was finally ready to face his inner demons. 

Nothing could stop him from seeing today’s events until the very end, not even he himself. 

Looking at Link’s back, the Lolian knew that his friend felt the same. The hero was wearing that blue champion tunic that Impa had gifted to him but it hadn’t gone unnoticed that his hood and pants were still the ones that Ravio had bought him all those months ago. His friend carried himself with an aura of determination and he had never noticed just how big Link’s back could look. They both carried so much weight on their shoulders and yet the Hylian kept his head high and treated those responsibilities not as a burden but as a simple accessory that only shaped a small portion of the person he had grown up to be. 

Ravio was proud of him. 

Hyrule Field was covered in guardians. It had been expected but the two heroes avoided them all. Today they wouldn’t waste their time fighting the consequences of a lost war, today they would go after the source of all that pain. Link was a skillful rider and they managed to get close enough to the castle without being detected. When Spot came to a stop, Ravio knew that there was no going back now. The castle towered threateningly in front of them, its foundation corrupted and haunted by guardians and malice alike. It would be a tough battle to only get inside but Ravio was confident when a hand came to rest on his arm. They could do this. 

Creeping closer to the water surrounding the castle, Ravio sent a worried look over to his friend. Link, however, had already pulled out his slate and created ice pillars that they could jump on. 

“Should I use my ice rod?” The merchant asked but his answer was a shaking head.  _ “Save your magic.”  _

He nodded but before the Hylian could start jumping, he pulled Link back by his arm. Confused blue stared at him but understanding washed over his friend and they both leaned in for a soft kiss. Ravio didn’t know how long it would be until they would be unbothered again so he wanted to make it count.

“I still feel the same.” he mumbled against Link’s lips and the Hylian nudged their noses together. 

The hero was the first to cross the river. Ravio hated how easy Link made it look like but then again he had always been a lost cause when it came to exercising. He considered himself more of a brain than a muscle guy. Taking a few steps back, the Lolian shook his body before running towards the edge of the water. He jumped and clumsily landed on the first ice pillar but he pushed forward, somehow crossing the whole river without falling in. When it seemed like he was about to lose his balance right at the end, a confident hand wrapped around his wrist and Ravio looked up to see sun kissed hair, endless blue and an amused smile. 

How they had come full circle. 

Link pulled him onto his feet and together they accessed their situation and location. The slate was once again pulled out and to their relief the map had changed to an outlet of the castle itself. Without prompting him to, the Hylian offered the device to him and Ravio analyzed their best route. 

It was a depressing sight. The castle reminded him so much of Lorule and seeing it in ruins like this made it difficult to focus on the task at hand. Riding through Castletown had already been a challenge in itself but Ravio had never expected their kingdoms to be so similar. What must have been a prospering castle that had acted as a beacon of hope and safety was now overrun with hostile guardians. Walls had been torn down and Malice radiated from the ground like poisonous fumes, ready to corrupt and infect anything too weak to resist. A shiver ran down his back just at the idea that Lorule must have once looked like this. 

Handing the slate back to his friend, Ravio smiled bitterly.

“I recognize the construction from back home. At least growing up in the castle finally comes in handy.” 

Link sent him a worried look but the Lolian waved it off. “Let’s talk about our strategy. Clearly we are in the enemy’s base and at a disadvantage. Sure, I can guide us to the sanctum but I don’t know which halls and rooms might have collapsed. There is also the problem of all those annoying guardians, however…” he drew the Bow of Light “I think we can let the guardians fight each other so we should be the least of their problems.”

He waited for his friend to nod in agreement before taking a deep breath. The Lolian hadn’t bothered with his gloves and it was an odd feeling, not having to hide his birthmark anymore. He had always hated it for what it had represented for both his kingdom and his own destiny. But since Ravio had met Naydra something had changed in him. The Triforce had become less of a burden and more of a sassy companion. It had helped him when he had needed it the most and the merchant was finally ready to accept it. The birthmark began to glow faintly and Ravio had to smile softly. Of course it was listening to his inner thoughts. 

“I will try and purge as many guardians as I can.” Grinning widely, Ravio winked at his friend. 

“Have my back?”

Link drew his shield and nodded with determination. Of course they could count on each other. 

Stepping forward from behind their covers, Ravio aimed at the first guardian Skywatcher that was circling the sky not too far away. The Triforce provided him with a calm heartbeat and focused mind as he breathed over the arrow, finally letting go of the bowstring. It hit the mechanical guard dog just as it turned away and Ravio watched as the malice left its body. 

He whistled and clicking noises were his answer as the creature flew over to them. “You may call me the guardian whisperer.” Ravio said over his shoulder as he waved towards the skywatcher.

“Hey, buddy. Could you keep an eye on us while I free some of your friends?” 

The Lolian didn’t speak technology but he interpreted the sounds as a ‘yes sure, anything you say, boss’.

The pebbles underneath their boots were the only sounds accompanying the two heroes as they slowly checked the courtyard of the castle. It was a haunting experience, seeing those familiar pathways destroyed and covered in malice. Ravio could only imagine the battle that must have taken place a century ago and he was once again hit with the reality of the situation. They were only two little specks trying to stop whatever had caused all of this.

_ But even the smallest speck can change the world if he puts his heart into it. _

An alarming siren above their heads warned them of the incoming beam even before it aimed at them. Within the blink of an eye Link stood protectively in front of him, shield drawn and he got ready to deflect any attack heading their way. Ravio felt his heart flutter but knew better than to say anything. His friend gave him the safety he needed to return the decayed guardian’s hostility with his own. They aimed at each other and when the guardian shot first, Link was already returning the impact of the beam with a perfectly timed counter, causing the decayed spider to explode into hundreds of smaller parts.

Ravio blinked in surprise and opened his mouth to say something only to find himself speechless.

Link smirked at him.

“If we weren’t on a super important mission right now I would kiss you.”

Hearing the Hylian’s snort, Ravio couldn’t help but feel at ease. The situation was only as grim as they painted it to be and as long as they were together, there would always be hope. With a teasing wink the merchant blew his friend a kiss instead and together they followed the path towards a walking guardian. 

“Don’t blow that one up.” he mumbled under his breath. Green eyed a wall they would most likely have to climb and with a deep breath he summoned another golden arrow. Taking aim, Ravio focused on the machine’s body. 

He shot and a moment later they had yet another new friend. 

“Buddy, could you lift me and my friend up so we can cross that wall?” He pointed over towards a gate that had been blocked by collapsing pillars. Link nervously shifted beside him but he simply intertwined their hands. The guardian’s eye displayed different hues of blues before it moved over to the wall, waiting for them to follow. Ravio sent his friend a reassuring smile and led him over to their pet spider where they sat down on one of its legs. The guardian carefully lifted them into the air and Link was the first to jump off, grabbing the edge in order to pull himself up. Ravio waited until the leg was high enough before taking the offered hand that helped him onto the wall. The two friends smiled at each other for a moment.

“Thank you guys! Can you make sure that nothing will follow us?” As if to prove his point he gestured towards the other guardians that were still looming around the courtyard. They flashed different hues of blue and left them in order to distract whatever enemy might decide to come after them. 

Everywhere he looked, Ravio saw misery. It was a bone chilling sight and he couldn’t help but flinch whenever he would recognize a corner or path he had walked down dozens of times in his life. How could one man or thing be capable of such a cruelty? What did Hyrule do to this man for him to feel such wrath? If this Ganon guy was anything like Yuga, then Ravio could only imagine the sickening satisfaction he must have felt when Hyrule fell into ruins right before his very eyes. 

Yuga had been the ambassador of the Gerudos. Ravio had eaten at the same table as him and had been the punchline for many jokes and insults. And that fateful day his king had died, Ravio had been the last person to cross paths with the magician. Back then he had seen the Gerudo enter the office of his king, had asked Yuga about his business but he had been quick to move on after the man had snarled at him. Ravio had been too much of a coward back then and had allowed a man he had mistrusted to get this close to the king and earn his trust. But this time would be different. This time Ravio knew the face of evil and he wasn’t alone in facing it. 

It was eerie quiet as the two friends finally found an entrance that wasn’t blocked off or infected with malice. Torches were already ignited and Ravio couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was awaiting them, mocking them with a false welcome. He readied his bow but nothing cut through the silence but their own footsteps. “I don’t like this.” he whispered under his breath and there was an agreeing nod from beside him. 

Continuing their journey, the heroes came to a stop inside the guard's chamber. To Ravio it held no significance. Sure, he had been forced to spend several hours in here surrounded by unlikable company but Ravio had barely wasted a thought about those memories. Link, however, seemed mortified. The Hylian clutched his chest as he stared into the abandoned room. 

Right, Link had been a knight once.

Placing a soft hand onto his friend’s shoulder, Ravio cocked his head. “You okay?” Unseeing blue snapped towards him and the Lolian waited patiently for his friend to return to him. 

It was just like that time in front of Mipha’s statue. 

Blond brows were furrowed and Link returned his attention to the room.  _ ”I think I… I spent a lot of time here… I remember being given my first sword…”  _

Ravio tried to envision it. A tiny Link, barely able to walk on his own two feet and already a big claymore in his hands. He smiled softly. 

“I bet you were a troubling child.” Ravio pointed out and Link couldn’t help but snort. There was the hint of a smile and the merchant decided that it was good enough for now. 

“I too spent some time in these walls. Not the best kind of memories, if i may say so myself. I was mostly just pushed around and landed on my face thanks to the other trainees. However, this was where I perfected my stealth. Sometimes a teacher wouldn’t notice my absence until half an hour into the lesson.“ Puffing his chest out, Ravio was quick to deflate. “Or they didn’t care enough to look for me. Either way, I escaped boring classes.”

_ “Sounds like you were more of a troubling kid than me. Are you sure you are not projecting?” _

“Details, Mr. Hero. All that matters is that I was a cute child. Adorable even. Too precious for some lame sword play.” 

His friend bit back a smile.  _ “Somehow I doubt that.” _

“And why is that?”

_ “Because I wasn't adorable.” _

Link threw one more longing look into the room before they decided to move on. They followed an ascending path and Ravio tried to ignore the memories of him and Hilda walking around the castle in their rare time together. What had once been blooming and growing in Lorule was nothing but death and misery in Hyrule. Ravio found himself rethinking that everything in Hyrule was more intense and colorful. He had never seen this much grey and hopelessness.

Their journey through the castle was a slow one. Around every corner they would encounter either a malice infected wall, a collapsed hallway, or an enemy in the form of a Lizalfos. It was almost as if they were at the heart of the disease that had fallen upon Hyrule, who would have guessed.

Coming to a sudden stop, Ravio didn’t react when the Hylian bumped into his shoulder. He felt Link looking at him but he couldn’t speak up, not when his personal oasis had been turned into a pitiful excuse of a library. Books were scattered across the ground, shelves had been torn down and loose pages would never retell the stories he had come to love so much. The Lolian lifted his hand to his mouth as he had to witness what had become of his favourite place inside the castle. 

He didn’t see the spear coming for his head but Link did. In a swift motion the merchant was pushed against a wall and out of harm’s way as his friend shielded them both. Ravio was still dizzy from his mourning but Link had him covered. The Hylian swiftly drew his bow and shot a bomb arrow that forcefully pushed the Lizalfos into a wall, causing more books to fall to the ground. 

Ravio flinched.

The fight went over in a haze. Link disposed of the remaining monsters quickly and the Lolian noticed that his friend had taken a less destructive tactic with the other Lizalfos. The last creature disappeared into black smoke and Link was busy picking up some loot as Ravio fully entered the library now. His hands moved over the broken tables and he could see a younger version of himself sitting at one, legs swinging as he read a book that had been too difficult for him to understand just then. His eyes lingered on the fallen shelves and he remembered playing hide and seek with Hilda as the guards had looked everywhere for her. Picking up a stray book, Ravio wiped the dust off its cover before hugging it close to his chest.

Concerned blue met his eyes and Ravio didn’t try to mask his sadness. “You know, the library had always been the place where I had felt safe. No bullies would bother me here, no one would yell and most of the time it was just me and the books. I was too scared to go outside but I thought that by reading as many stories as I could I would get a feeling of the world.” He swallowed thickly and held the book closer to his heart. “As a kid this was my home… I had always just assumed that nothing bad could happen as long as I was in these four walls. The wishful thinking of a young child, I know.” 

Warm arms came to rest around his neck and Ravio found himself face to face with his partner. There was comfort and love in those gorgeous blue and the Lolian closed his eyes as fingers began to run through his hair. There was a featherlight kiss on his forehead and Ravio took a shaking breath. “I know… I’m just sad that so much knowledge has been destroyed.” There was a small nudge against his nose and the merchant tried to smile. “I can’t help with the history of Hyrule but I guess I could write down as much as I know once this is all over.”

He opened his eyes to see a loving grin as their foreheads pressed together. “‘Nature 101’ or ‘Ravio’s Encyclopedia and the art of not dying on the first day in the wild’.” Link snorted, motivating him to continue. “Step one. Do something dumb and reckless and hope that a hero will dive after you in order to save you from certain death. Step two… Make the hero fall for you. Step three. Never worry again about dying in the wild because said hero turns out to be a great cook and an even better guard.”

They smiled at each other and Link met him halfway when he leaned in for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around the Hylian’s waist and pulled him closer as those warm arms stayed around his neck. “As far as I can tell that advice of mine currently has a 100% success rate.”

As they parted, Ravio hesitated as he looked down at the book he was holding. Its cover was decorated with ancient hylian letters and while he couldn’t read them, he could appreciate the drawing of a great fairy on it. It was probably a book about mythical creatures or something magic related and he didn’t need to ask for permission when Link already nodded at him. With a soft smile Ravio placed the book inside his endless bag, quietly promising to one day return it to its former glory. The two travellers intertwined their hands and continued their journey through the fallen castle. 

Ravio wanted to believe that one day this place could shine as bright as Lorule again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see an amazing design for Ravio and him trying to rent Link to the Zoras, drawn by mewnia!](https://mewnia.tumblr.com/post/623749481288155136/been-reading-farbsturz-s-fanfiction-called)
> 
> Hey, thanks for checking in, I still suck at writing suspense and action but what else is new? Boy, this chapter. While it may not seem like it's extraordinarily good or bad, this was the chapter that caused me the most trouble out of all 56. Writing tension and serious moments is really not my strength and I struggled a lot with this whole castle arc. I was scared that people would expect a lot of fighting and action scenes, see them perform breathtaking strategies and just destroy all guardians or create an army out of them. It's just not my writing style. 
> 
> I apologize if this chapter or the following ones will let you down, writing more action based chapters is not my strength and most chapters will still focus on the emotions and personal struggles of the boys. Luckily it won't be too long until we reach Calamity Ganon itself so please bear with me for the time being. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	42. Every painting tells a story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio continue their little exploration through the castle. They encounter enemies, revelations, and Ravio makes a split second decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor warning for this chapter: One of the boys will get injured and the few paragraphs regarding the treatment of the wound might be considered a bit more on the graphic side. Nothing too serious in my eyes but I wanted to put down a warning. Stay safe, everyone!

Link disliked the plan. Scratch it, he hated it. There was no way he would agree to Ravio playing bait for two freaking Moblins of all things. Keeping up their glaring contest, Link signed with more force than necessary.

_“That’s the dumbest idea you've ever had!”_

_“Even worse than staying up all night draining myself?”_ Ravio signed back, his expression just as determined. The Lolian smirked at Link’s hesitation and continued to sign. _“Look, it’s a long stairway with nowhere to hide behind. We need to get upstairs in order to proceed. They would see and hear us long before_ **_you_ ** _— ”_ Ravio made it a point to emphasize that word _“could sneak up on them.”_

Baring his teeth, Link glowered at his friend but to no avail. They were both too stubborn to back off. After several heartbeats the hero averted his gaze first and let his hands sink down, a clear sign of defeat. A colder hand cupped his cheek and Link allowed it to guide his attention back to soft green. Their noses were rubbed together and a light kiss was breathed onto his lips. 

“Trust me.”

And how could he not? After all they had been through, after all the times Ravio had proven himself worthy of the Hylian’s loyalty and respect, how could he not trust him blindly? Link stole another kiss before looking pleadingly at his friend. _Be careful._ Ravio simply nodded and the hero had to watch as his friend sneaked into the long stairway and in a small flash of light he disappeared into a wall. Link quickly hid behind the door when he was sure that the Moblins were looking into his direction, however several tense seconds passed without the sound of incoming footsteps. He allowed himself to relax, his head resting against the wooden door. 

He waited.

After a minute, Link could hear a familiar voice speaking up, loud enough to echo through the stairway they needed to pass. That was his sign to move.

“Excuse me, my dear gentlemen, it appears as if someone has neglected to inform me of the party going on here! And here I thought Ganonboy would invite me as a special guest!”

The animalistic scream of a Moblin tore through the air and Link had to force himself to remain calm. If he rushed in now their whole plan would be for nothing. Clinging to the little rationality that tried to fight his instincts, Link told himself that Ravio could handle himself. 

A flash of light from down the stairway told him that Ravio had returned to the wall and not a second too early as the loud sound of a club hitting something resounded through the castle. Link continued his approach as Ravio mocked the monsters between magical dodging. Eventually the Hylian was close enough and for a split second their eyes met. Ravio twirled the ice rod in his hand before freezing the Moblins on the spot, allowing the ice to claw all the way up to their legs. It wouldn’t stop them for long but it was more than enough time for Link to slash at their weak points repeatedly. With a pitiful gurgling sound they disappeared into nothingness and the two friends were left alone in the broken down stairway. 

Ravio grinned.

“Are we awesome or what, Mr. Hero?”

Climbing the rest of the stairs, the travellers soon found themselves on the first floor. Link watched in silence as Ravio hesitantly touched a pillar and he could only imagine how painful it was to see a familiar place in ruins. While his own head throbbed with pieces of memories here and there, it was never enough to truly recognize anything. There was a disconnect between the scenes that would flash in front of his eyes for just a moment and the person he had grown to be. Link knew that he should be mourning the same way his friend did but his memories were lacking too much for that. It was simply… odd. Familiarity and the unknown fought, a clash of past and present. 

They walked in silence through the eerie halls and only stopped to take out the lonely Lizalfos or eyes of malice that would await them around the next corner. Walking a few more steps, Link furrowed his brows when he noticed that the Lolian had come to a stop. He was staring at a painting.

“Is that…?” The merchant began to frantically search through his bag and Link returned to his side, wanting to see what the whole fuss was about. In the faint light of the torches the Hylian tried to make out the painting. It was extremely old but Link recognized a boy dressed in green holding a sword towards the sky, a princess next to him. In itself the painting wasn’t anything special to talk about. Somewhere in the back of his mind a voice told him that the castle had once been covered in paintings of former legends so to him this was just another depiction of a Hero of Hyrule. 

Link was pulled out of his thoughts when Ravio found what he had been looking for. With a satisfied hum the Lolian revealed the mask that Hilda had made for him. Its blue and yellow eyes stared at nothing in particular and its bunny teeth were losing their white color. He watched with curiosity as Ravio held the mask up next to a shabby drawn character in the painting that he hadn’t noticed before.

Link’s heart stopped for a moment.

There, in a corner next to the Hero of Hyrule someone had painted over what he assumed had once been a sage. Instead of showing one of the sacred elders, the painting displayed a purple dressed figure. He was fully hidden behind a hood with bunny ears, and yellow eyes stared straight back at the two travellers.

Ravio fell to his knees, the mask clutched against his chest. He was trembling and Link moved to sit beside him, a comforting arm on the other’s back. When the merchant leaned against him, he didn’t complain.

“They didn’t… didn’t forget about him, Link.” Ravio’s voice was shaking with unshed tears and Link pulled him into a hug. “To them he wasn’t… wasn’t a coward. They added him to the legend.” His friend began to sob as tears finally escaped. Looking up towards the painting, Link finally understood. 

The former Hero of Lorule had been immortalized in the tale of his predecessor. Hyrule must have seen the past Ravio as a hero worthy of standing next to the princess and her knight if he had been added to such an important relic. Blue softened immensely and Link kissed his partner’s head. _Of course,_ he wanted to say, _he was as much of a hero as you are._

Whistling lowly, Link waited until his friend looked up at him. Green eyes were still filled with tears but there was so much happiness and relief that the Hylian didn’t need to worry. He kissed the other’s tears away and smiled. 

_“Once this is all over I will make sure that they will add a painting of the two of us.”_

It was a promise. A promise of them surviving and staying together. Ravio’s eyes widened and Link leaned in for a slow kiss, wanting to emphasize his words. 

“And I will see to it that Lorule will hear about us as well.”

The two travellers allowed themselves to take a minute to simply hold each other before Link stood up again, pulling his friend back onto his feet. He didn’t comment on Ravio’s lingering gaze towards the painting as they intertwined their fingers, finally continuing their journey. 

Making any process through the castle was a difficult one. Ravio had said that they only needed one more floor to traverse through but that was easier said than done. Most rooms and hallways had been cut off one way or another, and Link was starting to get annoyed. Any time they would look for an alternative route they would end up in a deadlock or be forced to turn around because too many monsters would await them. At some point the Hylian had even suggested just climbing up the outer wall but his friend had been quick to shoot him down. The guardians would aim for them before they could have climbed a single meter and it was a risk they couldn’t take. 

The further they got, the harder it became to breathe. The air was thick with malice and the pressure of a slumbering power pressed hard onto his shoulders. It was an overwhelming feeling, like being stuck at the bottom of the ocean and Ganon just waited for the right moment to drag them away with a drift they wouldn’t be able to fight.

It was purely coincidence that Link caught sight of the malice that sneaked up on them. His friend, however, wasn’t as fortunate as a pulsating tendril wrapped around his ankle, pulling him off his feet. Ravio yelled in surprise as he hit the ground but Link was already jumping after him as the malice tried to drag him towards the infected wall. Their hands met and the Hylian immediately buried his boots into the ground, fighting the force that pulled against them. He was biting his lips bloody but no matter what he did, Link couldn’t miss how he was slowly losing his footing. Green eyes stared at him but when they suddenly widened, the hero already felt a shiver run down his spine. Something wrapped around his waist, yanking him away with a swift motion. 

“Link!”

Baring his teeth, the Hylian dug his nails into the black mass around him. He tore and ripped apart but no matter what he did, the malice didn’t seem to be faced. Desperate blue looked over to his friend as Ravio was pulled into the air by his leg, now hanging in front of the glowing eye of the creature. Fang like pillars shot out from the malice and Link didn’t need to guess that they were on its menu. Watching in horror as Ravio was slowly lowered towards the mouth, Link reached for the Master Sword but the malice was quick to wrap around his arms, preventing him from doing anything.

Their eyes met and time seemed to slow down as the Lolian reached for the Bow of Light. He took aim as the Triforce on his hand glowed but to his panic Ravio neither looked at the malice that had wrapped around his leg nor the black mass that was about to swallow him. 

The arrow exploded into blinding light as Link felt the malice around him burning away, releasing him at once. He fell back to the ground and blue eyes watched helplessly as Ravio was pulled into a mass of malice, a cry of pain leaving his friend before he disappeared completely. 

He screamed silently. 

Drawing his sword, Link raised the blade as he put all of his emotions into the strike. He gritted his teeth, glared at the malice and when he swung his weapon, a brilliant blue aura surrounded him as a sword beam shot at the black mass, cutting it in two. The evil creature shrieked as it was burned by his light but Link wasn’t satisfied just yet. He sent another beam that revealed the hint of purple inside the dying malice. Sprinting over, the Hylian grabbed the back of his friend tunic, cutting down any tendrils that clung to the merchant. The Master Sword’s holy light chased away any shadows and the presence of Ganon’s evil disappeared completely. 

His attention finally fell onto his friend.

Ravio was gritting his teeth in pain and it was clear what was causing the Lolian such distress. There, right in his abdomen stuck a broken stake of malice. It looked as sharp as a knife and Link whimpered in empathy. His friend was clinging to his arm but Link didn’t feel how the nails dug into his skin. He allowed Ravio to hold onto him as he lowered him to the ground, careful not to upset the wound any more. Green eyes were closed and the Lolian was breathing heavily, his forehead sweaty. 

A painful whimper echoed through the empty hallway as Link touched the piece of malice. He quickly hushed Ravio and ran a hand through his hair as his fingers wrapped around the stake. Counting quietly to three, the Hylian apologized as he pulled it out in one forceful pull. 

Ravio’s scream didn’t sound human as it was torn from the depths of his throat. 

Link quickly tore off a piece of his hood as he pressed it onto the wound, trying to prevent his friend from losing any more blood. Ravio was trembling and squirming underneath him, his eyes glazed as he tried to back away from the pain. The hero didn’t let him.

“Please… stop… It hurts… Link, please…” His voice was so thin, so weak that Link had to stop himself from crying. Instead he bit his lip bloody and focused on the pain. It was easier to stay concentrated when he was hurt.

Looking around, the Hylian blindly reached for Ravio’s bag. It took him an annoyingly long time but he pulled out several of their potions and the fire rod. A wound like that couldn’t heal without any help and they didn’t have the equipment or time to stitch it back together. There was only one quick way for him to close the wound enough for the potion to work.

Their eyes met.

Ravio looked terrified. There were tears in green as he was trembling and his lip was quivering. And yet they both knew what needed to be done. The Lolian didn’t say anything but he weakly nodded and that was all the permission Link needed. Pressing down on the wound, Link tore off another cloth and offered it to the merchant to bite down on. He took the fire rod and glanced one more time at his friend. 

_Trust me,_ blue said. 

_Always have,_ green replied. 

Even though muffled, Ravio’s scream was bone chilling. His friend thrashed around underneath him and Link forcefully pushed back down to keep him still as the heating gem pressed onto the nasty gash. The scent of burning meat reached his nose but Link kept the impulse to vomit down as he continued to close the wound by burning the skin together. Ravio never stopped screaming and it tore at his heart knowing that he was the reason for this sound. 

Once done, Link quickly drenched the bloody cloth in a red potion as he wrapped the fresh burns. He searched for the ice rod and remembered the feeling of Ravio’s hands on him in order to summon the coldness needed to cool the bandaged skin. Working in silence, Link listened to the uneven breathing of his friend. The Lolian kept his eyes tightly shut and his hands were clenched into fists but the pain seemed to slowly fade thanks to the potion. Hesitantly, the hero reached out and brushed loose strands of sweaty hair out of a pale face. 

“Now we match.” Ravio attempted to joke as a trembling hand pointed towards his shoulder. Link simply nodded as he continued to run his fingers through dark hair. It took several minutes but the trembling became less as the Lolian relaxed into the touch. Hands were slowly unclenched and green eyes opened to meet his own. Leaning down, Link kissed his partner’s forehead before giving him a pointed look.

“I know, I know… no self sacrificing shit but...” The Lolian grinned weakly, a brow raised. “All good things come in three?” Link rolled his eyes and simply nudged their noses together as he rested a hand on Ravio’s chest, feeling his racing heart calming down. “We had the guardian, the skywatchers, and malice now. That means no more sacrificing in the future.” 

And Link would hold him to his word.

Helping his friend into a sitting position, the hero flinched at the sharp intake of breath. If he could choose he would allow Ravio an hour or two to simply gather himself, would pick him up in bridal style and walk out of the castle without looking back. But they had neither the luxury nor the time to rest any longer. Link gathered all the things and threw Ravio’s bag over his own back, offering his friend a shoulder to lean on as they finally continued their ascension to the sanctum. The Lolian was breathing heavily, his walk unsteady and slow, but Link knew better than to ask him to stay behind while he faced Ganon by himself. Neither of them would allow the other to move on alone. 

They were a team, after all. 

Wrapping his arm around Ravio’s waist, Link supported the extra weight as they walked in silence. It didn’t take long for them to come to a stop in front of the open doors to the sanctum. The evening sun shone through a glass stain of the Triforce down upon them and Link could hear Zelda’s voice whispering to him, telling him that his journey had finally ended.

They had reached their destination.

It was time to face the evil that had killed him 100 years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so a few things!
> 
> First of all: For those who are confused [This here is the painting this chapter talks about](https://64.media.tumblr.com/fbc304ab9084f7d3f8156bf76b2a4471/7963231e6617afd9-cb/s540x810/acc1ae9f973b7edda5b319c5f2e40bf27e58897c.png) and [here is a closeup of the painting.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/817d2ad3628d90f92b58a4d4f7852cea/e61c8b3dfd97af9b-38/s540x810/3aa8ca09882e9bfdc42835039e8ff36889b41d39.png) This drawing can be seen at the end of the ALBW credits. It shows that either Zelda or Link added Ravio to the drawing of the Hero of Legend. I wanted to use this little detail and show that in the world of NMNL, the royal family has done the same thing. NMNL Ravio realizes that while Lorule had mostly forgotten about their Ravio, Hyrule had actually remembered him not as a coward but a hero. 
> 
> I hope the treatment of the wound wasn't too harsh and that I didn't make anyone uncomfortable with it. If even one of you believes I should have added a tag for it or should have been more explicit in the chapter's warning, please let me know. 
> 
> Anyway! Next chapter we will finally come face to face with Ganon! Action scenes are my passion so I'm sure you guys are already excited to read it.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	43. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link finally face their destiny together.

Clutching his side, Ravio blinked the white spots away. He could barely hold himself up and if it wasn’t for Link supporting him, the Lolian was sure he wouldn’t have made it all the way. Every movement sent yet another wave of pain through his body and Ravio had found himself blacking out for a second or two at times. 

His health wasn’t the best winning condition right now.

The arm around his waist tightened and Ravio looked up into his friend’s face. Link looked at him with worry and the merchant hated it. He didn’t want to be a burden, didn’t want the hero to worry about anything but their mission. They had finally reached their last battle, they couldn’t afford being distracted. 

A small chirping noise caught his attention and Sheerow came out of its hiding spot from his bag. It flew around his head once before landing on his shoulder and the little bird nudged his cheek. Smiling softly, Ravio nuzzled back before reaching up to pet his friend.

“It would be best if you waited for us, ‘Row. It’s going to be dangerous.” But the bird only pecked his ear slightly, causing him to chuckle before he winced in slight pain. “Right, right, we will see this through to the end.” 

Forcing his weight onto his own feet, Ravio pushed himself away from Link in order to stand with his own strength. His legs were shaking but he straightened his back, his eyes set on their goal. He offered his hands to his friend and they intertwined their fingers, facing each other. In that moment Ravio forgot about the castle, forgot about his pain, forgot about anything but the Hylian in front of him. Link was still as beautiful as when he had first laid his eyes on him. Taking a deep breath, the Lolian allowed his emotions of love to warm his body.

He smiled toothily. 

“You know, I spent many nights thinking about this moment. I wanted to write an aspiring speech about how we would come out victorious and how the Rito kids would sing songs about our journey in the future. I wanted to summarize everything we have done and went through, and I wanted to end it all with some meaningful words you could find in a cheesy book.” Green eyes softened and he shook his head at everything he had planned. 

“But now that I’m here, I’m at a loss of words. I know, I know, shocking.” Link snorted and Ravio couldn’t help but grin. “Anything I could say now would only be a repetition of what I have already told you. So instead of telling you something you have heard before or reciting our favourite moments I only want to say one thing.”

Ravio let go of Link’s hands in order to wrap them around the other’s neck. The Hylian’s arm carefully held onto his waist and they rested their foreheads together, eyes closed. 

“I loved every second I was allowed to spend with you, Link. But I believe that the best is still to come.”

His friend’s breath hitched but Ravio pushed on. 

“When the sun rises tomorrow I want to hold you just like this. We may be called the heroes of Hyrule but first and foremost we will be nothing more than an adventurer and his merchant, and nothing less than annoyingly in love.”

When Link kissed him, Ravio buried his hands in blond hair in order to pull him closer. It started out slow but neither of them wanted to hold back any longer. Deepening the kiss, Ravio allowed his friend to take the lead as he simply followed along. The arms around him held him protectively and the Lolian clung to the other’s neck, too scared of letting him go just yet. His heart fluttered tightly and the merchant drowned himself in his love for the hero. This wasn’t a goodbye, it was a promise for a better time and Ravio imagined them living together, bickering about the smallest details and growing old. He had never been one to pray but he begged anyone who was listening to watch over them just one more time.

Finally separating, the two travellers panted heavily. Ravio licked his lips and when he opened his eyes, he was welcomed home by an endless blue. They nudged their noses together and Ravio nodded weakly.

“I still feel the same for you, Link.”

_I do too,_ the Hylian breathed onto his lips. 

The merchant forced himself to let go as he began to rummage through his bag. He attached several rods to his belt and finally drew his Bow of Light, its golden frame glowing brighter than ever before. Link joined him by his side and the Master Sword’s blue aura pulsated along their racing hearts.

“I will see you tomorrow, Mr. Hero.” Ravio promised as they entered the sanctum.

* * *

It was quiet. Too quiet. Looking around, Ravio tightened his hold on the bow. He couldn’t see anything that resembled a cloudy pig monster of doom. It was just an empty sanctum with some fancy windows.

“Are we sure Ganon is here? Did we take a wrong turn or…”

A drop of malice was quick to shut him up. The disgusting liquid first landed on his shoulder and a shiver ran down his spine as he quickly tried to wipe it off. The sound of the following drops pulled their attention to the ceiling and Ravio felt his blood run cold. 

There, stuck to the ceiling of the sanctum, was an egg-like cocoon. The merchant could see his friend gripping his head all of a sudden but he was frozen in place. He couldn’t speak and when the first blue beam broke through the malice skin, Ravio was pulled behind the Hylian. They watched in horror as an insect-like creature bursted through the cocoon and it crashed onto the ground, shaking the whole floor. Green eyes widened when the sanctum began to give in underneath the immense weight and with a cry the two friends fell through the ground alongside the monstrosity.

Reaching for his tornado rod, Ravio had more than enough fear to spare. A terrifying second he simply fell but then he was pulled back into the air by his magic, causing a whimper to leave his lips as the sudden stop stretched his burning skin thin. A quick glance over to his friend told him that Link had grabbed his glider and together the two heroes safely landed in front of that thing.

Ravio had read a lot of horror stories in his life, both fictional and retellings of history. But nothing described in those books could come close to the entity known as Calamity Ganon. Just where should he begin? Maybe with the malice that covered his whole body in what looked like pustules? Or the dozens of limbs that he used not only to carry his weight but that were also equipped with weapons ranging from cannons to spears? His raging red hair and beard resembled more the mane of a feral lion and those glowing yellow eyes were voided of any intelligence or emotions.

This was no man. It was a mindless creature that only knew the hunger for death and destruction.

Its animalistic scream echoed through the hall and the two heroes shifted their weights, raising their weapons for the fight. Green eyes met blue and Link nodded at him with determination and encouragement. Right, they were in this together. 

“You are not alone, Link. You can count on me to have your back.” 

Repeating the words from their first battle, Ravio grinned toothily at his partner. He knew the Hylian could look through his mask of confidence and see his trembling legs but if there was one thing the merchant had learned from his best friend back in Lorule it was to always face a challenge with optimism, even if it was only faked. If he played pretend for long enough he would eventually believe it himself. 

The tense moment was interrupted when a sudden blue light broke through the remains of the ceiling and the two travellers watched in disbelief as the creature known as Ganon was heavily injured. It tried to crawl out of the raining power but there was no escape as the energy that resembled the Sheikah technology tore through its body, weakening it greatly. For a moment the Lolian didn’t understand what was going on but his eyes widened in newfound hope and he couldn’t help but throw a fist into the air.

“It’s the Divine Beasts! They are helping us!”

Their chosen weapons glowed in the presence of the evil and the two boys sprinted into opposite directions, now with more motivation than ever. Link dodged an incoming swing from a sharp looking claw as Ravio put some distance between himself and that monstrosity. He wasn’t sure what Ganon’s weak points were just yet and so he simply focused on whatever limb got too close to Link. He shot several arrows in a row and watched as the malice burned away everywhere it hit, however it didn’t do the damage he had hoped for. If anything, he had only managed to piss the creature off some more. 

“Oh shit.”

Ganon was now focused on him and Ravio barely jumped out of the way as a spear came flying towards him. He cried out as his bandaged wound scratched over the ground and for a moment white exploded behind his eyes. Gritting his teeth, the Lolian stumbled back onto his feet as a claw aimed for him. However, it didn’t even come close to touching him as a blue beam cut straight through it, causing the malice ridden limb to uselessly fall to the ground. With disgust Ravio watched as it thrashed for another second like a fish out of water before it finally dissolved. He nodded towards Link and drew his bowstring back. 

As the giant burning axe came rushing for the Hylian’s head, the hero managed to perfectly dodge. Link used his momentum to rush in and slash at Ganon’s face directly. The creature screamed and tried to push him away but the adventurer was quick to jump backwards. Ravio couldn’t help but simply stare in awe. Of course, he had seen Link fight countless times but there was something different to being that fluent and confident in your movements when you faced a monster like they did right now. It seemed as if nothing could tear Link out of his focus and the Lolian was finally confronted with what it truly meant to be courageous. He knew his partner was afraid, they both were. But Link overcame his own insecurities and pushed forward, fighting relentless for what he believed in. 

Hylia couldn’t have chosen a better hero to defend her kingdom. 

Smiling to himself, Ravio switched out his bow for two different rods as he noticed Ganon preparing another attack with his burning weapon. Just as expected the next swing of the axe created waves of fire but the Lolian had already moved his ice rod to create a protective wall around the hero. The fire crashed against his creation and melted it away but Link stayed unharmed as he jumped over the remains of the wall, running in for another round of attacks. He smoothly transitioned from attacking to dodging as he grabbed his glider in order to use the gale’s from the previous fire. 

Link landed next to him and they watched in stunned silence as the insect-like creature began to back off towards the wall only to start climbing it. It was a terrifying and disgusting sight as it carried its heavy body on those spider legs, its malice dripping onto the ground below. With a shot of his cannon the creature summoned two cyclones and Ravio was quick to draw his tornado rod. Lifting it into the air, his own wind began to wrap around them protectively. He could feel how the emerald stone drained his magic but a warm hand wrapped around his own, halving the cost of energy. 

Smiling at his partner, the friends stood tall as they held onto the tornado rod, creating a defensive cocoon around themselves. The cyclones tore and clawed at their barrier but their own gales fought back, finally ripping the whirlwinds apart. Link used the opening to shoot three bomb arrows at Ganon’s body. With the last hit the monster screamed and fell back onto the floor, its landing causing a wave of malice to surge forward. Ravio swung his ice rod and created an ice pillar underneath their feet just as the dark force crashed into it. 

“Go!”

The Lolian watched as his partner pushed himself off the platform, Master Sword drawn as he sent a blue beam towards the monster’s head. Ravio switched his rods for his bow and once the ice broke underneath his feet, the merchant used the second of weightlessness to aim up his shots.

They had held their grounds well so far but when Ganon covered himself in a burning hot shield, they knew they were in for a treat. 

The attacks became more frequent and the monster attacked with a ferocity never seen before. Ravio barely merged into the wall when the spear came for him again and he winced when the impact destroyed the surface next to him. He was just dropping out again when he saw Link being the target of Ganon’s cannon. The creature shot several beams and while the Hylian managed to block the first two, the third one hit him spot on. The collision had created a cloud of dust and green widened.

“Link!”

Forgetting about his own safety, Ravio stumbled on his feet as he sprinted over to his friend. He coughed when he entered the cloud and he found Link on his back, a nasty burn on his leg. The Hylian gritted his teeth as he blindly searched for his shield and Ravio hurriedly handed it to him. 

“Your sword… where is it?”

Frantically scanning their surroundings, the Lolian’s blood ran cold as he spotted the Master Sword across the room. There was no way that Link could continue dodging those attacks with a wound like that. Panic began to rise within him and a light touch on his shoulder pulled Ravio away from his darkening thoughts. 

Blue eyes looked at him with determination but the merchant wanted to scream at his friend. Instead, he leaned down to kiss the Hylian’s forehead as his left hand began to glow strongly. A wave of calmness washed over him. Smiling reassuringly, the Lolian took the shield from his friend’s hand and replaced it with the Bow of Light and fire rod.

“Have my back, will you?” 

He didn’t wait for an answer, ignored the way blue eyes widened at the realization of his plan. Ravio jumped back onto his feet and hurriedly ran over to the abandoned blade. His heart was racing but the merchant forced himself to focus. He couldn’t allow himself to be scared anymore. Forcing himself to let go of the hurtful memories that had haunted him for years, his hand stopped its trembling as he reached for the hilt of the sword. He didn’t hesitate as he grabbed it with courage and a sudden warmth spread through his body. For a moment Ravio thought he had heard a faint female voice. Shaking his head, the Lolian narrowed his eyes at the monstrosity. He found his footing and held the shield in front of his body, the Master Sword in his left hand. 

It began to glow alongside his Triforce.

The creature screamed at him but Ravio easily danced around the claw that came for his head. Dodging low, he jumped out of the way and caught his fall with a roll before getting back onto his feet. Ganon lifted his sword in preparation to swing but a golden arrow managed to hit its joint, turning that limb useless for the time being. Ravio took the offered opening and with a war cry he pierced one of the monster’s eyes. It screeched in pain and blindly thrashed around but whatever claw dared to lash out at him was hit by an explosion of light. There was some movement in the corner of his eyes and in the next moment Sheerow flew over to Ganon, scratching out its remaining eye before returning to Ravio’s side. The courageous bird chirped in determination and Ravio hurriedly backed off again. However, the Lolian lost his footing on the broken tiles and with a scream he fell to the ground, a hiss leaving him as he fell straight onto his stomach. He rolled onto his back and green widened greatly as the giant axe came down towards him. Shielding his head, the hero braced himself for the inevitable impact.

But the pain never came.

Ravio had expected to be slammed into the ground but what he felt instead was a caressing warmth kissing his skin. His eyes fluttered open to the sight of a dragon made of fire, its wings and tail protectively wrapped around him as it bared its teeth at the monstrosity in a silent threat. He noticed how its flames didn’t hurt him one bit but judging by the sight of the axe melting, it had to be incredibly hot. The hero looked over his shoulder and Ravio couldn’t suppress the overwhelming love he felt for Link in that moment. 

Standing on his trembling legs, the Hylian had pushed the fire rod into the ground. A circle of ancient Lolian letters encased his figure and illuminated him in a supernatural light. His blue eyes were glowing and he was gritting his teeth but there was no doubt in his stance, no exhaustion from the magic he had just mustered up. 

He looked every inch a hero. 

Ravio returned his attention to the dragon that slowly dissolved around him. He stumbled onto his legs and when the fiery dragon attacked Ganon, the Lolian used the moment to back off towards his friend. Link was panting heavily and there were a million things they needed to do but Ravio couldn’t care less for just a second. His bruised hand found its way to his partner’s neck and he pulled Link into a clumsy kiss before separating immediately. 

“You know what? I don’t give a damn about your request, I’m gonna say it.” 

Their eyes met and Ravio put his whole heart into the following words.

“I love you so Goddess damn much, Link.”

Blue stared at him widely and for a scary second Ravio feared that he had messed up but then desperate lips met his own again and the merchant melted into the kiss. A hand was clinging to his tunic though a second later the two pulled away again. Those gorgeous eyes looked at him with affection and he felt the words his partner breathed onto his lips.

_“I love you too.”_

Grinning widely, Ravio felt like he could move mountains. All of a sudden the fear and exhaustion left his body and all that was left was their shared unconditional love. He allowed warm hands to take the shield and Master Sword from him as he grabbed his bow and fire rod. 

Their following attacks were slower because of Link’s injured leg but Ravio had his back. The Triforce glowed on his hand and it felt as if he had a never ending resource of magic as he summoned tornados, ice and fire for his friend to hide behind. Now that the creature had been blinded its attacks were sloppier and Link used every opening he was given to pierce and slice wherever he could. 

Holding their breaths, they watched as the monstrosity fell to the ground with a last bone chilling scream. Malice burst from its wounds and the two heroes quickly backed off from the flowing substance as its body twitched and moved with its dying breaths. Ravio searched for something with his hand and soon enough did warm fingers find his, intertwining them. Whatever was left of Ganon turned into a sickening cloud of smoke and with horror the heroes realized it wasn’t over just yet. 

The essence of Ganon was simply leaving the castle. 

Running into the middle of the sanctum, Ravio watched in desperation as the cloud left through the destroyed roof. He furrowed his brows as Link bared his teeth.

“How are we supposed to follow it?”

As if to answer his question, a golden light began to illuminate from within the Hylian. Their eyes widened as the adventurer was covered in a brilliant light and his Triforce shone alongside his friend. They held onto each other as the light fully wrapped around them and Ravio closed his eyes as they were taken to wherever Ganon had escaped to. 

It wasn’t over just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see two super adorable Ravio commissions, drawn by galactic-fire-dragon!](https://galactic-fire-dragon.tumblr.com/post/623904758642720768/i-was-commissioned-by-both-mildlycuriousdragon)
> 
> And here we finally are. After 42 chapters and over 110k words, the boys have finally reached their destination. In a few comments here and there I had hinted at the fact that Ravio was on paper worthy of wielding the Master Sword. And this chapter is the reason as to why. I wanted them to switch the roles of support and fighter for even just a moment, and of course can't forget our little birdie! 
> 
> We are getting closer to the end so thank you all for still sticking around. Let's see how this journey of theirs will end. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	44. The nightmare ends at dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is finally time to put an end to Calamity Ganon and free the princess.

Blinking in confusion, Ravio looked around to assess their new situation. A red moon stood proud in the night sky and with surprise the merchant found himself back in Hyrule Field alongside his partner.

“What…?”

A neigh drew both of their attention and Link’s face lit up when they saw a familiar horse grazing not too far away. “Spot!” the Hylian signed with excitement and together they ran over to their trusted steed. The horse nuzzled into Link’s chest as a greeting before returning to the food at its hooves.

“You didn’t possibly see an ugly insect pass by here, did you?” Ravio joked but every humor left his body as the sky began to turn a sickening red. His green eyes found the malice ridden cloud floating over their heads and it extended more and more in front of the heroes, soon giving way to a huge hooved leg. Ravio absently noticed how Spot tried to escape but Link held onto the bristle, hushing and calming the animal. The Lolian couldn’t blame the animal, the more he saw of Ganon’s new form the more he wanted to run away as well.

Whatever materialized in front of him came dangerously close to the thing he had seen in his dreams all those months ago. A boar the size of a Divine Beast stepped out of the cloud and its body was covered in boiling and ever moving malice. Hellfire covered a good portion of its body and two horns grew from its mouth. Each movement of the monster caused the ground to shake slightly and Ravio unsurely took a step back when a voice echoed through his head.

“Use the Bow of Light, a powerful weapon in the face of evil, to weaken the creature that has once been Calamity Ganon.”

His breath hitched and he looked around for his best friend but she was nowhere to be seen. The voice tore at his heart and Ravio clutched his tunic as his eyes searched for somebody he knew couldn’t be here.

“Link… you may not yet be at a point where you have fully recovered your power or all of your memories… But courage need not be remembered for it is never forgotten.”

Looking over to his friend, Ravio finally understood. This was princess Zelda’s voice. Of course it had to be, there was no way that Hilda could have been around. He had always suspected that the princesses must have been similar but he had never expected Zelda’s voice to sound just like her. He watched as Link mounted their horse and when a hand was offered to him, Ravio accepted it hesitantly. The Lolian took his place behind his friend and drew his bow, nodding at the silent question. Spot raised to its hind legs and with a loud neigh they took off, riding around the boar.

“I will hold the malice back as much as I can, but my power is waning. Attack any glowing points that you see!” Zelda said inside their heads and with a shiver the Lolian began to look for those mentioned areas. Link was easily maneuvering Spot over the battlefield and when the dark beast charged his beam, the adventurer motivated the horse to ride faster. They dodged the incoming fire and green widened when he spotted a glowing symbol on the creature’s leg.

“There!”

Link seemingly understood as he guided Spot closer towards the boar. Taking aim, Ravio waited for two heartbeats before releasing the bowstring and with a satisfied explosion the arrow hit its mark straight on. The beast roared in anger but his friend already navigated them to the next mark. Shooting bullseye again, the creature tried to stomp them. Ravio saw the hoove come down but Link was a brilliant rider. The Lolian quickly wrapped his arms around the other’s waist as they sped up yet again, barely escaping the attack on their lives. Spot neighed in complaint but Link soothed the animal quickly.

The following points were more difficult to hit. They were located higher on the dark beast’s body and that meant that they needed to get closer. Too many times did they scarcely avoid being hit by its horns or fire. The exhaustion clawed at both of their bodies and Ravio knew they could only continue for so long until they would be out of stamina. His eyes kept on wandering back to Link’s injured leg but the Hylian restlessly pushed his legs against the horse’s sides in order to stay in control of the situation. His own burned skin screamed with every jump Spot did and the effect of the red potion had worn off some time ago.

Blending out the pain, Ravio missed two shots before he finally hit the remaining mark on the boar’s back. He closed his eyes for a moment and rested his head against Link’s shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. His hand was trembling as it held onto the Bow of Light for their dear lives and he swallowed thickly.

A small nudge against his head caught his attention and blue eyes looked at him in silent worry. He smiled tiredly and bumped their noses together.

“Don’t worry about me, Mr. Hero.”

It took a while for them to find the next glowing area. Everywhere the merchant looked, the body was covered in malice and nothing else. Spot was getting slower with each minute they wasted and he began to worry when Link suddenly changed the direction they were riding in. With a loud yelp he wrapped an arm around the Hylian’s waist and watched with disbelief as the other led them straight towards the beast.

“Link, what the hell?!” the merchant yelled over the wind but his friend simply pointed towards something underneath the beast. The next weak point had appeared on the creature’s belly, out of all places to be, and Ravio suddenly understood. He kept his head low and arm tightly around the Hylian as Link maneuvered around the giant legs, avoiding any hooves or malice that might have tried to reach them. With a deep breath the Lolian pulled the bowstring back and an arrow of pure light appeared between his fingers. He waited until they were underneath the area and prayed that he wouldn’t waste the opportunity his friend had just given him. Taking aim, he breathed onto the arrow as he let go.

It hit its mark.

When the dark beast roared in pain, Link tried his best to safely navigate through the thrashing limbs but Ravio had known that there could only be so much luck on their side. They had almost made it when a horn took them off guard. Before either could react, the massive prong already collided with Spot and Ravio couldn’t hold on as they were thrown through the air. Everything spun and when he hit the ground it was accompanied by a sickening crack in his arm. White exploded in his vision and he cried out as he desperately held onto his shoulder, his teeth gritted. For several seconds he could neither hear nor see anything as the pain of his broken arm washed over the rest of his body. He could only focus on the disturbing feeling when there was a warmth on his cheek, forcing him to open his eyes. Link was leaning over him, his brows furrowed deeply while he seemingly took in the sorry state of the merchant’s body. Ravio tried to sit up but there was a light pressure on his healthy shoulder, indicating that the Hylian wanted him to lie down again.

“We don’t have time for this!” His voice sounded hoarse and rough even to his own ears but he looked at his friend with burning determination. Pushing the Bow of Light into Link’s hands, Ravio already began to tear off a piece of cloth from his own hood, destroying the clothes that had been given to him by Hilda herself.

“Go and finish off that oversized pig!”

Link looked at him with uncertainty but Ravio had never been more sure about something. He struggled to create a sling for himself but gentle hands took the cloth away from him and wrapped it around his neck in order to knot the ends together. His breath was uneven but the Lolian breathed in the scent that never ceased to calm him. When the Hylian cupped his cheek he leaned into the display of affection and their eyes met. Ravio had no clue how Link could look so kind and loving in such a situation but green fluttered shut when a kiss was pressed to his forehead. He took a shaking breath.

“Return safely to me, Link.”

The next time he opened his eyes, Ravio saw that Link had run back towards Spot. Luckily the horse seemed mostly okay and the Hylian whistled sharply to gain the animal’s attention. Spot came running and in a smooth movement Link mounted the horse without losing any speed and they continued their battle against the dark beast. The Bow of Light and Master Sword shone brightly on the hero’s back and Ravio could do nothing but get up on his shaking legs to watch. The fluttering of wings signaled the arrival of his little friend and Sheerow landed on his shoulder as the two spectated the rest of the fight.

Link looked as if he and his steed were floating over the field. Their movements were fluent and there was no hesitation in the way he led the animal back towards the huge boar. A giant eye of malice had appeared on the dark beast’s forehead and it glared with endless wrath at the hero as he approached the creature. Once close enough, Ravio held his breath as Link began to stand up on top of the horse’s back. He held onto the animal’s mane with one hand and once he was close enough, the Hylian pushed himself off. Link jumped high into the air and drew the bow as time slowed down around them.

The two chosen adversaries stared at each other as once again their dance of reincarnation came to an end. With the release of the bowstring Link had fulfilled his destiny and once the eye was burned away by the warmth, a light escaped from the beast’s body. It was too bright for Ravio to make out anything in particular but he recognized the faint silhouette of a person. Entering a sprint, he ignored the pain in his body. He needed to reach Link.

The person turned out to be a girl, or rather young woman. She had beautiful blond hair and when she raised her hand towards the dark beast, a bright light radiated from her hand. Ravio’s eyes widened as his own Triforce of Wisdom seemed to resonate with that infinite energy. The sky turned a dark red and the air grew cold as the boar returned to its original form of a malice ridden smoke but there was no escape from the girl’s, no, princess Zelda’s Triforce. Holy light burst into all directions with her as its center and Ravio lifted his healthy arm to shield himself as he was covered in the brilliant warmth of the three Goddesses themselves. Calamity Ganon never stood a chance as the holy beams wrapped around its body, forcing it into a cage before dissolving into nothingness.

The red moon began to lose its intensity as it made place for the rising sun and Ravio could only blink when he was suddenly pulled into a hug. Two strong arms were wrapped around his neck and a second later he was pulled into a clumsy kiss. The Hylian was smiling against his lips and Ravio finally realized that it was over.

Laughing loudly, the merchant wrapped his healthy arm around his friend as he was pulled into another much needed kiss. It was messy and chaotic but he loved it all the same. They smiled and laughed, bumped their noses together and covered each other in smaller pecks.

And as the sun rose behind them, Ravio leaned his forehead against his partner’s.

_“I love you so much.”_ Link mouthed and green eyes softened immensely as the Lolian began to cry tears of happiness.

“I love you too, Link.”

It was finally over.

They had won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever aft- what do you mean there are still over 10 chapters left? What could possibly happen now that they have fulfilled their destiny?
> 
> A lot. A lot could still happen.
> 
> And with this chapter we officially close the Calamity Ganon arc. This was also the last chapter that included any action scenes so it's back to writing the kind of scenes I know. I injured Ravio in the end because I wanted Link to have the final blow, seeing as how Hyrule was his kingdom to save. 
> 
> I'm curious whether any of you have ideas for what is to come next! This chapter already hinted a little bit at what the following plot will be about, I can say that much.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	45. Heart in solitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now with Ganon gone, it is time to accompany the princess to Kakariko Village. Ravio, however, is haunted by thoughts he would rather push away.

Ravio only reluctantly separated from his partner. He wanted to hold him until the end of time but he knew that was just his selfish thinking. Instead, the Lolian gave Link a light push as princess Zelda already waited for him. The hero walked over to the girl and once he was close enough, he lowered his head in a bow.

“I’ve witnessed your struggles to return to us as well as your trials in battle. I always thought— no, I always believed— that you would find a way to defeat Ganon. I never lost faith in you over these many years…” 

Her voice was incredibly soft and Ravio watched in silence as the princess turned around to look at her soldier. His eyes widened and the merchant took a step back when he finally got a good look at the princess. 

They were too identical. Way too identical for Ravio’s liking. Sure, Zelda had blond hair and blue eyes, similar to Link, and her expression was softer but there was no mistaking it. She was Hilda’s counterpart through and through. A sob got stuck in his throat and the Lolian had to stop himself from collapsing onto his knees. It had been so easy to always ignore reality while he had been in a completely different world but seeing Zelda finally hit home what he had tried to suppress since his conversation with the king. 

Hilda was gone and he would never see her again. 

A hole opened up in his chest and he winced away from Sheerow’s concerned nudge. He couldn’t look at Zelda, couldn’t listen to her voice, he couldn’t…

He wanted his best friend back.

He wanted his _sister_ back.

“Thank you, Link… the Hero of Hyrule. May I ask… Do you really remember me?”

Clutching his chest, Ravio blinked the tears away. He watched the scene unfold in front of him and when Link nodded, he felt his world break apart. Zelda was the one to close the distance as she wrapped her arms tightly around the hero’s neck and Link returned the embrace although a bit hesitantly. 

Ravio hated himself so much for feeling jealous.

But he had seen the fondness in Zelda’s eyes when she had spoken to her assigned guard and Link seemed content enough in her hug. Breath hitching, the merchant forced himself to stare at the ground. 

Link had gotten his happy end. He had saved Hyrule, had saved his princess, and now the two of them could rebuild the kingdom into a better version of itself.

But what about him? What would happen to Ravio, now that his role was over?

_I am just a visitor in Hyrule,_ the Lorulean in him whispered as if to answer his question.

The two of them had always been the heroes out of their own times. They had both been taken from their era in order to fight together. But Link still had friends that remembered him from his former life. He still had his princess to welcome him. If Ravio were to return to Lorule, what would even wait for him? He had no sister, his family was probably gone as well, and his house will have been sold. He would be left with nothing while Link had a bright future ahead of him.

“And you must be the Hero of Lorule.” 

Ravio hid his wince at the title. When he looked up he was greeted by a kind smile that tore at his heart and soft eyes that could never hurt him. The irony didn’t go unnoticed and just for a moment his eyes wandered towards his partner. Link had positioned himself behind Zelda and slightly to the left, and Ravio felt his blood run cold at the realization that he had placed himself where a guard would be. 

“I’m… I’m Ravio, Your Highness.” The Lolian whispered as he bowed as low as he could. He heard her chuckle and after a moment he straightened his back again. 

“Ravio, I must thank you for standing by Link’s side. I have followed that journey of yours and I have seen just how often you had his back. If it wasn’t for you I don’t know what would have happened to Hyrule.”

He forced a soft smile onto his lips as he shook his head. “Please, Your Highness. I barely did anything myself, that hero of yours is the true star of today’s events. I am not courageous like our friend, I am simply…”

“... wise?” Zelda finished with a hint of amusement as she presented the full Triforce on her hand, causing his own to turn warm in return. Ravio had noticed before that the hylian Triforce stood on its head but it was odd to see the real thing also… out of perspective. 

“I’m afraid I cannot answer that question because only a fool would call himself a smart man.” 

Her beautiful laughter came unexpected and just for a moment Ravio saw somebody else in her place, somebody with long purple hair and fiery red eyes. But just as quick as that image appeared it disappeared once again and the Lolian was left with that hole in his chest.

“Not only humble but also a joker. I see Lorule truly sent their best.”

He didn’t want to think about his home.

“So, Your Highness, where would you wish to go from here on out? Maybe Kakariko Village would be a good starting point for your further journey?”

Her eyes widened and with an excited smile she turned to Link, taking his hand into her own. “Please, I’m dying to meet Impa, can we go immediately?” The hero blinked in surprise but he soon smiled and nodded, causing the princess to cheer in happiness.

“Oh! But before we go, please let me heal your wounds!”

Zelda first started with Link. The Triforce glowed as she ran a hand over the Hylian’s leg and the cuts he was covered in. Ravio watched in stunned silence as the bruises disappeared and even the burn on his leg healed into a red scar. She was quick with her work and a second later she was right up in his face and the Lolian took a startled step back. 

“Y-You don’t have to, Your Highness.” he mumbled but Zelda already touched his arm and stomach. A warmth washed over his body and he was reminded of the time they had encountered Naydra and the red dragon. 

“And please just call me Zelda, Ravio. Or I will be forced to call you by your title as well.”

It was a harmless threat and he weakly returned the smile with one of his own. Once Zelda had returned her attention to Link, the merchant lifted his tunic to check his injury. The wound had been closed but it seemed like the Triforce didn’t get rid of the nasty burn scar. He grimaced and let go of his shirt as his eyes met familiar blue ones. Link’s hand twitched as if he wanted to reach out to him but when the hero remained in his spot, Ravio averted his gaze. A bitter taste gathered in his mouth and the Lolian huffed softly.

He wasn’t sure what had changed exactly but he knew that Link had fallen back into the mindset of a guard. And a soldier wasn’t allowed to show emotions, he had to be quiet and follow orders.

Zelda clapped her hands together. “How long would it take us by foot?”

“At least a day and a half. With a horse you can reach the village by afternoon but the quickest way would be using the slate and teleport over.”

As if on cue Link walked up from his position and handed the princess the slate without a word. He seemingly showed her something and she nodded with a bright smile.

“Teleporting it is then. So how do we do this? Do we hold onto each other so as to not get lost?” 

Link nodded and offered his hand to the princess which she swiftly took. Biting his lip, Ravio began to nervously fiddle around when the guard offered his other hand to him. 

He shook his head.

“You two go on ahead. After all we can’t just leave Spot behind, right?”

Widened blue told Ravio that Link had forgotten about their trusted steed and his smile turned bitter. 

“Prin— Zelda, you and Link can go ahead and teleport to Kakariko Village. I will arrive later today with Spot.”

His friend furrowed his brows and for the first time since their victory, the Hylian began to sign.

_“I can take Spot back to the village. I know you don’t enjoy riding.”_

And be alone with the princess? Ravio would rather spend hours on a horseback. He waved it off.

“Zelda would be safer with you by her side. Besides, I’m sure Impa wants to talk to the princess and the hero, not to a random visitor. Just go on, Link, I will meet you there.”

The Hylian still looked unconvinced but the princess nodded in his place. Ravio watched as they disappeared in a blue light and a moment later he was by himself. Sighing heavily, he let his shoulders hang as he made his way to their horse.

A soft chirping came from his shoulder.

“No, buddy, I’m not okay.” He soothed Spot the way he had seen Link do and after the animal was calm enough he clumsily mounted it. Ravio shifted uncomfortably in the saddle and Spot seemed to feel his uncertainty. 

“Okay, girl, it’s going to be a long couple of hours but I believe in us.” 

He pushed his feet into the horse’s side and pointed forward. “Onward!” 

But they didn’t move. 

With a small groan he ran a hand through his hair. “Pretty please?” and that did the magic. The animal slowly began to walk and Ravio looked over to his feathery friend.

“This is going to be a difficult trip.”

* * *

It took him longer than it should have but Ravio finally arrived in Kakariko Village. A quick glance heavenwards told him that it was late in the afternoon but the merchant decided to cheer anyway. He had ridden a horseback all by himself and had neither suffered from a kick nor had fallen off. 

It was the personal victory that counted.

Kakariko seemed lifelier than usual but it had been expected. After all the princess had returned after a century of absence and it was time that Hyrule could start healing. When he entered alongside Spot no one acknowledged him as all eyes rested on the princess who stood in the middle of the plaza and was currently crouching down so she could talk to a handful of children. Impa sat on a chair not too far away and Link stood next to her, his arms behind his back. There was a stiffness to the way he held himself but Ravio felt satisfied when that tension seemingly left the Hylian’s shoulders upon his arrival. Link pushed past several villagers just as the merchant climbed down from the horse and they soon found themselves face to face.

“Hey.” Ravio said unhelpfully and there was that familiar smile he had fallen in love with. Warm arms wrapped around his neck and the Lolian laughed softly when his friend nudged their noses together. “Missed you too.” he whispered but before he could fully close the distance, Link had already leaned back to look over to the princess. Only when he had made sure that she was still occupied did the Hylian lean in for a kiss and Ravio returned it with less enthusiasm than he had felt before. 

“Link, we need to talk…” he whispered seriously and the hero slightly leaned back, staring at him with confusion and worry.

“Do you think we can go somewhere more quietly? It’s important so I would rather be alo—”

“Link!” A handful of villagers called his name as they waved the hero over and Link smiled apologetically at him.

_"Let’s talk later, okay?”_

As if Ravio could protest. With a small sigh he simply nodded and even when Link kissed his cheek he felt empty. He watched as his friend jogged back to the gathering and a small boy excitedly jumped onto his back as a girl grabbed his hand. Zelda and Impa simply laughed at the sudden ambush and Link kneeled down to play with the children.

“Come on, ‘Row. Let’s check into the inn.”

It was two hours later when Ravio heard a small knock. He sat up from his position on the bed and put the fire rod to the side just as the door opened, revealing his partner with two bowls in his hands. The Hylian carefully navigated into his room and offered him a bowl that he took with a raised brow. With a grin Link sat down on the bed beside him and placed the stew between his crossed legs so he could sign.

_“I thought you might be hungry after everything that had happened.”_

And Goddess, he was. Only his pure stubbornness had stopped him from leaving his room so when he took the first bite he was quick to finish his whole bowl. Link snorted with a teasing smile as he slowly ate. 

Leaning back, Ravio drummed his tummy and laughed as blue eyes were rolled. “You’re a savior, Mr. Hero. I would have starved without your assistance and my ghost would have moved on to haunting this inn. Imagine the horror of having me as a poe around here.” They grinned at each other and Ravio wondered if his worries had been for nothing.

_“Thank Hylia that I came just in time then. I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy having the displeasure of being haunted by you.”_

The merchant placed a hand on his chest and fell back onto the pillow. “You wound me, Mr. Hero. And there I had thought that my simple presence was a priceless experience that I had blessed you with.” 

There was some shuffling going on and not a moment later Ravio was straddled by his friend. Link was sitting on top of him and warm hands moved from his chest to his freckled cheeks. Breath hitching, wide green watched in anticipation as Link smiled predatorily. The Hylian pulled his hands back to sign but his eyes watched every movement of Ravio’s. 

_“It took me quite a while but I finally caught you, bunny.”_

What?

Blinking in confusion, his mouth formed a silent ‘o’ before Link kissed him. He couldn’t help but smile against rosy lips as his arms wrapped around the Hylian’s shoulder, pulling him closer until his friend laid on top of him. Right, way back then in Rito Village he had dared Link to come after him. He had known that he needed to swap clothes so it had seemed like a fun little tease but Ravio had never expected his partner to remember it. Humming in content, the Lolian tried to fight back as best as he could. This time he wouldn’t allow Link to take the lead, he couldn’t just accept his fate as a predator’s meal. 

They simply held and kissed each other for a while until Link laid down next to him. Their breaths were uneven but both friends grinned as their hands intertwined. The Hylian pushed himself onto his elbow and when Ravio looked at him, he could feel his heart flutter. Blond hair looked messily into every direction and the little ponytail barely held it back anymore. Blue eyes were slightly dilated and those beautiful lips were redder than usual. Ravio pulled his friend into a gentle kiss before sighing.

“I love you.”

Link’s own expression softened and just as before he mouthed the words back. _"_ _I love you too."_

Minutes passed and when the hero tried to wiggle his hand free, Ravio let him do just that. However, at the signed words all warmth left him and he nervously began to play around with the blanket.

_“You wanted to talk?”_

“Let’s just… You know what, forget it. It wasn’t that important.” 

Ravio knew that his friend looked at him with raised brows but he didn’t want to acknowledge the concern. He couldn’t talk about his problems right now, not when they were happy.

“If it’s okay, can we just stay like this? I’m tired but I don’t want you to leave so…” his voice sounded hesitant but a warm hand came to rest on top of his own, stopping his nervous habit. Link smiled and without a word he began to climb under the blanket. Following his friend, the two lovers wrapped their arms around each other and Ravio placed his head on a warm chest. He closed his eyes, only focusing on the heartbeat and breathing of his friend. 

There was no way that Link would abandon him for Hyrule…

  
  
  


_Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now with their destinies fulfilled, what is there left to do for Ravio? Link has a whole kingdom to rebuild and a princess to serve. With so much on his plate, will there be enough time for the merchant?
> 
> And with this the final arc of the story begins. It will focus on the boys, an important question, and their roles in these messed up worlds. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	46. Who are you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio's doubts and fears get the better of him and he makes a final decision.

Sitting at a table inside the inn, Ravio sank lower into his chair as he listened to the others discussing their next steps. Link was sitting next to him but unlike the Lolian the hero actually paid attention to what was being said. 

“I would like to visit the four main villages, Impa. I need to see how the Zoras and others have dealt with the situation. I will also need their input and advice to decide how to proceed.” Zelda said and the elderly woman nodded in agreement.

“That is a wise choice, princess Zelda. Have you decided on an order yet?”

The princess pointed at the map that was displayed on the table. “The domain of the Zoras is the closest.”

Fiddling around with the hem of his tunic, Ravio wanted to tune out again when the next words made his heart stop for a beat.

“Of course, with Link by your side that should be no problem. He should also be familiar with the royal family of the Zoras so it’s the best destination to start with.”   
  


Widened green looked towards his partner and Ravio silently urged him to speak up but Link looked just as lost as he was. 

“Is there a problem, hero?” Impa asked with confusion and Ravio watched helplessly as the Hylian quickly shook his head. Clenching his hands into fists, the merchant stood up from the table and attracted all attention to himself. He kept his head low.

“I don’t feel so well, I will go outside for a minute. Please continue without me.”

Zelda nodded in worry but he didn’t wait for permission. He pushed himself past the chairs and opened the door with more force than necessary. Once outside, Ravio began to walk into a random direction as he wiped the tears away. His breathing was uneven but he ignored Sheerow’s chirping as he stormed off. 

Idiot. He was such a freaking idiot. Only a Goddess damned fool would believe that the work of a hero was done with the death of the monster. Of course they couldn’t just return to Hateno and live a normal life, Hyrule was in literal ruins and the princess needed her loyal guard to keep her safe while she travelled the kingdom to unite the races. 

Why in Din’s name had Ravio thought that Link would be his after all was done?

An arm on his shoulder stopped him from leaving the village and Ravio turned on his heel, finding himself face to face with his partner. Link looked concerned and the Lolian’s heart squeezed uncomfortably.

“What is it, Link?” he said with a low voice but he couldn’t hide the tears. Though when the hero reached out to wipe them away he only flinched back.

_ “What’s wrong?” _

Ravio couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. “What’s wrong? I don’t know, what could possibly be wrong? Hyrule is saved, you got your princess back and now you two will rebuild the kingdom and return it to its former glory. Everything is peachy and perfect.”   
  


He knew he was hurting the two of them. Ravio could see the pained expression of his friend but the Lolian couldn’t stop. His insecurities and fears had been boiling under his skin and he had made the mistake of lifting the lid.

_ “What are you trying to say?”  _ Link signed though his brows were furrowed in irritation. A quiet voice told him to stop while he was still ahead but Ravio had always let his anxiety dictate his life.

“I’m saying, Link, that your job isn’t done yet. It might never be done. We were stupid to believe we could head back to our house and live together. Besides, I doubt you even want that anymore with the way you trail the princess like a well trained guard.”

The Hylian flinched back and Ravio screamed at himself to just stop. 

“I saw the way you fell back into your role as a soldier. Damn it, you wouldn’t even kiss me in front of your precious princess. Is that it? Am I not good enough? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

Blue eyes turned icy cold and Link bared his teeth at him. 

_ “After everything we went through you think that lowly of me?”  _

“Well, you are certainly giving me mixed signals then! Zelda wasn’t even back for five minutes and you would have put your life down for her again! You always talked big about how you weren’t the man from your memories anymore but all I see is an emotionless guard who waits for an order!”

Wincing when he was pushed against the wall of a house, Ravio stared into burning eyes as the Hylian growled at him. The other held onto his collar and his hands instinctively tried to push the body away.

_ “What is your problem with her anyway? Since we defeated Ganon you have been distant and rude! You wouldn’t even look at her!”  _

“Getting defensive over  _ your precious  _ princess now?”

He knew he had gone way too far when Link removed himself from their current position. He watched as the Hylian slammed his fist into a nearby tree and his knuckles turned an angry red with his heavy breathing. When their eyes next met Ravio had expected anger or even hatred but all that was left was endless sorrow and the Lolian hated himself for causing his friend such pain. 

“Who are you, Link?” he whispered and the Hylian took a step back, cocking his head in confusion.

“Answer truthfully… just who are you?” 

But Link only shook his head. His hands were trembling when he signed again.  _ “I don’t know what you mean.” _

He pushed himself off the wall and closed the distance between them. Link suddenly looked so small but Ravio knew that he couldn’t stay. Reaching out, he ran a gentle hand through blond hair as he pulled his partner close enough so he could place a kiss onto his forehead.

“I’m sorry, Link… But that answer isn’t enough.”

Walking past his friend, Ravio wiped the tears away as he reached a decision. His heart was hurting but staying would only make it worse.

He had played his role and there was nothing left for him. 

It was time to return to Lorule.

* * *

“I’m not overreacting, Sheerow.” Ravio forced out through gritted teeth as he finished packing his bag. He placed the mask over his eyes and pulled the bunny hood over his head, pointedly ignoring the deadpanned look the tiny bird gave him.

“Would an overreacting person do this?” the Lolian asked as he opened the window to his rented room in order to climb outside. He struggled for a bit and if his landing was mostly caught by his face then it was no one’s business. Jumping back onto his feet, Ravio dusted himself off and straightened his clothes. He had left a letter for Link to find but now it was about time that he returned to his kingdom to report about his success. There was no other reason as to why Ravio would want to leave his friend for the time being and no matter how often Sheerow would try to call him out, he would pretend not to understand the language of the bird. 

He knew it was a cowardly way of leaving. If anything Ravio should face Link and Zelda, sit down with them and explain that he wanted to settle down in Hateno but he doubted that his partner was at a point yet where he could put his own wants and needs in front of the expectations from others. Sighing to himself, the merchant wondered if he was the one in the wrong for thinking selfishly. He had never wanted to be a hero and now that Calamity Ganon was gone he just wanted to leave the rest to everyone else. He had lived inside the castle his whole life, had been surrounded by royalty and soldiers and sages, and had been told how to behave and speak. It was finally time for him to decide his own fate but the life he wanted to live collided with Link’s sense of responsibility. 

Maybe this simply meant that Link was a true selfless hero.

But Ravio had learned not to compare himself to others. He was different and he didn’t want to let any princess dictate the rest of his life. Sighing softly, the Lolian adjusted the bag on his shoulder as he left Kakariko Village to return to a path he hadn’t walked on since he had first come here. 

It wasn’t like the walk back to the plateau was a difficult one anyway. Walk downhill, cross two bridges, pass by the stable and then you can’t oversee a piece of land just being elevated. It was different though to suddenly be back to travelling by himself. He could talk to Sheerow all he wanted but his hands would remain cold and no sound but his own footsteps would accompany him throughout the silence. The merchant clung to his tunic and he hated how he would start flinching whenever a bush or tree would start rustling in the wind. 

Goddess, he was pathetic without Link by his side.

Sighing heavily, the Lolian managed a tired smile as the bird landed on his shoulder. He ignored the way his heart would hurt when he crossed the first bridge and once he was on the other side, Ravio released the breath he had been holding.

“Do you think there even is a way for me to return, Sheerow?” the merchant asked as he kicked a small pebble away. All that determination and stubbornness had been replaced by sadness and by now Ravio only felt empty. He had half a mind to turn around and apologize to Link but there was no way he could feel at ease seeing his partner fall back into a role he had hated all this time. 

Link had said he didn’t want to be a soldier anymore so just why did he so easily switch once princess Zelda had returned to his side? Was it simply an old habit that was hard to get rid of or had the Hylian truly remembered her and decided that he should stick around the princess instead? 

After all Ravio could never compete with a strong and charismatic personality like Zelda.

The bird chirped and Ravio shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Last time I was sent into the Sacred Realm by the sages but I don’t know how I ended up in Hyrule from there. I guess right now I’m just hoping that either Hylia will kick me out or Lolia will pity me enough to take me back. If not then I guess I will have to return to Hateno…”

He let his head hang low though when Sheerow chirped again, Ravio finally came to a stop. Letting go of his bag, he watched as the bird flew in front of him. The merchant growled and pointed at Sheerow before swinging his arm to the side.

“Of course I don’t want to leave him! What do you think of me?” There was another chirp and Ravio only glared at his feathery companion. “You don’t get it, ‘Row! I’m doing this  _ because  _ I love him so Goddess damn much!” There was a confused sound coming from the bird and Ravio removed his mask so he could actually look at his friend.

“I love him, ‘Row. I would go through this whole damn journey again just to make sure that he would come out alive and well. But I can’t go back to my old life.” His eyes turned pleading and he clutched the mask in his hands. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life at boring political meetings and discussing the future of a kingdom and travelling around just to play ambassador. That Ravio doesn’t exist anymore and I don’t want to look back at him. I love Link so damn much but going back to being an advisor would ruin me.” 

Taking a deep breath, Ravio shook his head as he let the tears just flow. “I want to grow old with him and I want to start a small business somewhere in a cozy village. I want to be a nobody who will be known for his own actions and not some destiny that had been forced onto him. I’m finally ready to turn my back on that whole chapter but Link, he’s…” 

He struggled to find the right words for a moment. “He doesn’t know yet what he wants. And up to this point he never had an important decision to make. He woke up without memories, followed the quest everyone had sent him on and now that he’s done he suddenly has a choice to make. And this time no one can just tell him what to do. For the first time he has to use his own free will and truly decide on how he wants to spend his life…” 

Ravio had to clear his throat when his voice gave away. It was barely a whisper by now and he averted his gaze, appearing so much smaller. “He has to decide if he wants to be the personal guard to the princess or… or be with me. If he wants to be a soldier then I won’t stop him but he can’t juggle both lifestyles… I’m leaving because he needs time to think and so do I. Either my absence will bother him or he will notice that he… that he can live without me.” 

There was a small nudge against his cheek and Ravio gently patted his bird. “I love him, Sheerow. I have never loved anyone or anything as much as I love him. But if he wants to return to his old life then I can’t be a hindrance. I want to be selfish and live with him in our house but I need to respect his decision. And until then I just want to… to go home. I’m tired of being a visitor in Hyrule, I’m tired of the lack of magic and the too bright colors that hurt my eyes.”

The bird landed on his shoulder and after Ravio had picked up his bag again, they continued their journey to the great plateau. They crossed the second bridge and after another hour they reached the stable. Not wanting to take a break, Ravio walked past the building. They eventually passed the empty standing camp and the merchant smiled at the cheerful chirping of Sheerow. 

Drawing his tornado rod, it was deep in the night when Ravio stood in front of the tall wall of the great plateau. He concentrated on his fear of losing Link and after a minute he found himself on the edge of his journey’s start. The rod was put back into the bag and Ravio pulled his Bow of Light as he slowly approached the Temple of Time. 

The ruins still looked the same as the day he had first arrived in Hyrule. It was a saddening view and a grim reminder to what could have been if it hadn’t been for the two of them. Ravio hesitantly touched a pillar that had fallen over and his fingers moved over the smooth stone. Quietly, as if he was scared of waking an unknown power, the merchant approached the Goddess statue of Hylia. He came to a stop a few steps away and felt a little bit dumb. 

He really hadn’t thought this through.

Taking a deep breath, Ravio bowed in front of the statue.

“Goddess Hylia, I… Well, I am Ravio, a Lorulean from a faraway kingdom. But I guess you already know that…” He shook his head at his own stupidity. “Okay, let me start over. My name is Ravio, Hero of Lorule. Many months ago I was sent here by princess Hilda on behalf of a prophetic dream most likely sent by the Goddess Lolia. I have travelled across worlds, I have traversed the most difficult areas of your beloved kingdom and even if it was just by a small percentage I tried my best to help your chosen hero defeat the entity known as Calamity Ganon. Now that my role is over I humbly request you to send me back to my home.” 

He waited.

And waited.

And waited.

A small sigh of annoyance left him and he lifted his head again, straightening his back. Taking a step closer, he pointed at the statue. “You owe me that much. I went through so many difficulties to save  _ your  _ kingdom and I moved on even when I was told that a century had passed. I just want to go home, I need to see what has become of my own kingdom. It’s fine if you don’t care about Lorule but I do and I have to know what happened in my absence.”

He glared at the statue and took another step closer. “I may not be the princess’ advisor anymore and people may have forgotten about me but Lorule will always be my home. I care about its well-being as much as I cared about my best friend. I did everything you asked me for, you owe me this.” 

Holding his ground, Ravio glowered until his hand began to glow. He stared with wide eyes as the blinding light was imitated by the statue and he took a trembling step back when a storm suddenly appeared above the temple. The Lolian did his best to shield his head and he screamed when lightning struck down right in front of him, hitting the Goddess statue spot on. Falling onto his back, Ravio blinked the white spots away. The storm disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and the merchant was left alone with a ringing sound in his ear and a statue that glowed in the colors of a rainbow.

“What…?”

He scrambled back onto his feet and after a second or two of checking the sky, Ravio hesitantly touched the statue again. His own Triforce stopped its glowing and green eyes widened when he caught sight of something behind the statue. There, in the Goddess’ stony back a crack had appeared. It emitted different colors but what truly caught Ravio’s attention was the magic radiating from the fissure. 

A sob escaped him.

“It’s… Lorule.” Ravio whispered as he fell onto his knees, touching what must have been a pathway to his kingdom. There was no mistaking, the magic he felt was the very air he had breathed all his life. “I can go home, Sheerow…” Teary green met the red eyes of his friend and the bird chirped as it disappeared in his bag, a clear sign that it would accompany him no matter what.

Taking a minute just to breathe, Ravio finally got back up onto his feet. His bracelet was glowing purple and with a small sigh the merchant let go of his fears and doubts. He merged with the wall and took a step through the fissure.

Home sweet home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Puddle's comment from yesterday summarizes this chapter quite nicely: "Ravio will be his own worst enemy in the coming chapters by letting fear and self doubt hurt him as well as those around him." You nailed that one, friend. 10/10
> 
> I know Ravio's action might seem impulsive but let's be honest, this isn't the first time he has acted without thinking (see: Muzu, the sand rod escapade, the malice). I tried my hardest to explain Ravio's side of the story in this chapter, show what is going on and what has led to this decision of his. He wants to be with Link, however he doesn't want to be involved in politics anymore. Throughout the story he has mentioned countless times that he a) wants to live a humble life and b) hated his life as an advisor and the fact that Hilda grew distant because of politics. And now those two ideas clashed with each other and Ravio ran away to the only place he truly knew - his home. 
> 
> I would like to emphasize that both boys have reasons to act the way they do. Neither is in the right nor wrong here. Ravio failed to communicate his worries and Link failed to understand the bigger picture. Link, too, has reasons for wanting to stay with Zelda, a person he vaguely remembers and who will need help in her journey. Ravio has pointed out before that Link was not somebody who would turn his back on his kingdom or friends. It's in his nature to help.
> 
> You got someone who yearns for a calm life far away from responsibilities and someone who cannot rest because of his sense of duty. It's a clash of ideals. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	47. The missing link

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link finds a letter and decides to follow Ravio home.

Resting his head against the door, Link licked his lips as he lowered his fist. He still couldn’t knock, instead the hero placed his hand on the wood and closed his eyes, wishing his friend would simply come out and talk to him. 

“He still hasn’t shown himself?” A soft voice said and Link was quick to spin around. His shoulders tensed up but he relaxed slightly when he saw that it was Paya, the personal assistant of Impa. Blue eyes returned to the door and he sadly shook his head. 

“Your friend has been in there the whole day.” She mumbled with furrowed brows and Link knew that she started to worry as well. “It’s commendable that you respect his privacy but are you sure he is alright? After what happened on the street maybe he’s…” A single glance was enough to make her stop in her tracks. He watched as the girl quickly excused herself and a moment later the hero was once again alone in the hallway. 

Link knew that she was right. He should stop being a coward and simply knock, simply make sure that his partner was alright even if Ravio didn’t want to talk to him. While the Hylian still didn’t understand the sudden outburst he had come to a realization that whatever had bothered the merchant must have truly clawed at his soul. Ravio wasn’t one to snap at anyone so whatever the reason it must have been severe enough.

Taking a deep breath, Link knocked against the door and waited.

But no response came.

He furrowed his brows and hesitantly knocked again but when there was no sound behind the door he started to worry. The hero silently apologized when he turned the doorknob but when he entered the room, there was no sign of his friend.

Ravio wasn’t here. 

Panic arose within him and Link frantically looked around, checking the closet and under the bed. However, a piece of paper lying on the bed and the open window was enough to confirm his fear. Ravio was gone.

He had left him.

Grabbing the letter, Link sat down on the bed as his hands trembled. He took several deep breaths and began to read the neatly written paper. 

_ ‘Link,  _

_ I know this is a cowardly way of announcing my parting but I can’t tell you personally. If I were to see you right now I wouldn’t be able to leave. I could never say these words to you directly so please apologize this letter. Now that Ganon has been defeated I had foolishly believed we could ignore any responsibilities and just leave the political aspects to everyone else. But I know you can’t just sit by and watch others do your work. You would never abandon a friend who needs help.  _

_ It is time we decide what to do with our lives, Mr. Hero. Our destinies are fulfilled and it’s up to us to shape our future. I know where I want to be, who I want to be and what I want to be. But I’m asking you, Link. _

_ Do you know your answers to these questions? _

_ I am leaving so you can think about this question and come to a conclusion yourself. Don’t worry about me, Sheerow is with me and I still got the Bow of Light. I can handle myself, right?’ _

Link noticed the way the ink was smudgy at this part, as if something had been spilt over it. 

_ ‘I need time to think and you need to make a choice. But know that whoever you decide to be, I will love you across time and space. For now I will return home but I will come back to you. _

_ Take care of yourself for me, Mr. Hero. _

_ Yours truly, _

_ A suspicious looking travelling merchant.’ _

Link startled when the first tears fell onto the piece of paper. He hadn’t noticed that he had been crying but he couldn’t stop. The hero hiccuped and sobbed but Link couldn’t stop rereading the lines. Not knowing how long he had been sitting there, he flinched away when an arm suddenly wrapped around his shoulder. The hero looked up through teary eyes and he found Zelda sitting next to him, a sad expression on her face as she pulled him into a hug. Ignoring the small voice that wanted him to keep his cool in front of the princess, Link buried his face in the girl’s shoulder as he allowed his emotions to burst through the surface. He was trembling badly and even though Zelda whispered words to him, he couldn’t hear her. 

All Link knew was that Ravio was gone and it was somehow because of him. 

* * *

Standing outside the inn, Link readjusted his armor over the champion’s tunic as he led Spot out of his stable. He was just preparing the horse for their trip when he noticed the princess leaning against a wall. The hero bowed his head automatically and halted in his movements.

“Where do you plan on heading?” She asked with a softness to her voice. 

Link’s fingers twitched but he had difficulties formulating a coherent sign. He sighed in defeat and looked to the ground as he forced the words out. 

_ “Hateno. He said he would go home.”  _

She hummed and pushed herself off the wall in order to grab Spot’s saddle. A smile lingered on her lips as she handed the item to him. 

“May I accompany you?”

Blue eyes widened and he blinked at her in surprise. Her smile turned into laughter and she took the saddle back in order to prepare the horse. 

“Don’t look so surprised, Link. I followed your journey, remember? He is clearly important to you so I want to help as much as I can. It’s the least I can do.”

She grinned in excitement as her eyes sparkled with an unknown emotion. “Besides, I talked enough politics with Impa, it’s time I go out and see Hyrule for myself.”

A weak smile appeared on his lips and Link nodded. He watched in silence as the princess cheered and a moment later Zelda disappeared to ask for a horse herself. The Hylian mounted Spot and soothed the animal as he waited for the girl to join him. 

It was late in the afternoon when the two took off but they made up for the lost time with determination. They didn’t take any breaks, rode through the sunset and even when it was dark they didn’t slow down. Sighing to himself, Link stared up at the moon. He couldn’t help but remember the many nights he had spent under the night sky wrapped in his partner’s arms. 

Just what had happened to them in such a short time?

_ Who are you?  _

The question echoed through his mind but Link couldn’t understand it. Ravio knew who he was, if anything the Lolian was the only one who truly had come to know him. Why would he out of all people ask such a question? 

They reached Hateno in the middle of the night. A part of him knew that he should traverse quietly but Link didn’t give a damn as he rode through the village, startling a few cats here and there. He only stopped when he reached the small bridge leading to their house and jumping off the horse, Link sprinted towards the building. No light seemed to be on but it was only reasonable, the Hylian tried to tell himself. Ravio was probably asleep and he would be all groggy and moody once Link entered the house but then he would smile and they would hug. 

Reaching the door, Link absently noticed the way the moonlight was reflected on the sign that marked the building as their own. He knocked shortly but didn’t wait for an answer as he opened the door, his heart racing in anticipation.

But the house was empty.

The hero squinted through the darkness but even with the lack of light he could tell that no one had been here. The bed was still neatly made and the washed bowls stood forgotten on their table. It looked exactly like they had left it together.

He couldn’t breathe.

Staring into the darkness, Link leaned against a wall for support as he slid down. His chest seemed to be pressing down onto his heart and there was not enough air, why wasn’t there enough air? He clutched his tunic and unseeing blue eyes looked around for something that just wasn’t there. His head began to hurt and hot tears welled up in his eyes but Link couldn’t focus, he just couldn’t breathe and it was too cold and— 

“Link.” a soft voice said but he shook his head. That wasn’t the voice he wanted to hear, he needed to hear that harmonic laughter, he needed to see freckled skin but it was so dark. 

“You need to calm down.”

No, what he needed was his partner. He couldn’t do this alone, he couldn’t go back to being alone. All of a sudden he was back in the Shrine of Resurrection and there was water covering his body, he tried to breathe but there was no air and he was trapped and it was dark and he was alone.

“Link!”

A sudden light tore him out of his panic and a foreign warmth washed over him, erasing any tension from his body. With a loud gasp the Hylian let air flow into his lungs and he was panting heavily, leaning forward against the body of the princess. The full Triforce was glowing and whatever was calming him down was probably a result of its power. Looking up, he was met with worried eyes but they weren’t the color he yearned for. 

These eyes were the color of the endless sky but he needed to lose himself in a forest.

“You’re okay. Just take a few deep breaths, you’re safe.”

No, he wasn’t okay. And maybe he would never be okay again. But when the princess guided his head to her lap he didn’t object. Link was too tired to fight anymore and he focused on the hand in his hair that tried to massage his worries away. Taking a deep breath, Link wrapped his hood around himself. The first gift of his partner.

He fell asleep with tears in his eyes.

* * *

When he woke up, Link was hyper aware of two things. First of all, he was lying on the ground in his house, a pillow and blanket wrapped around him for warmth. Secondly, he was currently alone. Sitting up, he groaned at the slight headache he had. 

Ravio.

Suddenly awake, Link threw the blanket off his body as he scanned the room for his friend. Right, he wasn’t here. He hurried over to the door and when he opened it, he was almost punched in the face by a raised fist of his princess. Zelda blinked in surprise and lowered a hand, her other arm full with a bag of ingredients.

“You’re awake.” she stated unhelpfully as she gently pushed past the Hylian in order to enter the house. “I’m sorry for leaving you alone but you were sound asleep so I wanted to look for breakfast. I must say the people here are truly welcoming, you chose a nice village to settle down in.”

Link wasn’t really listening. He stared at the ground and began to fiddle around with his tunic, a habit he missed seeing. 

“Come now, let’s eat and afterwards we can talk.”

He allowed the princess to guide him over towards the table. Sitting down, Link watched in silence as a plate with bread was placed in front of him. A glass of fresh milk soon joined and even though he wasn’t hungry, the hero knew better than to decline the shown kindness. The Hylian ate the minimum and downed the drink. It felt good to finally have something in his stomach but Link only sighed as he sunk into his chair. 

He missed him. He already missed him so much and it had barely been a day. Link pulled out the letter and traced the neat handwriting of his friend. The Hylian didn’t know why he had expected Ravio to have a clumsy way of writing. Maybe because of his bubbling personality or his tendency to talk faster than anybody else but these words had been noted down with such a care that he could imagine the way his partner had leaned over the paper, biting his lip while formulating his thoughts. 

“Link, I need you to do me a favor.” 

Looking up, he met the eyes of his princess. He nodded without thinking and a part of him remembered Ravio’s accusations of being the perfect guard dog. The hero furrowed his brows and averted his gaze. 

“I want to help you but I can’t find out what’s wrong if you don’t let me in. So please, while we are in this house of yours, look at me as if I was a simple villager. Don’t look at me as your princess or as your responsibility, look at me as your friend.” 

His eyes widened and fingers twitched but he simply stared in confusion at the kind smile he was given.

“I used to believe that you hated me, you know? That you wouldn’t talk to me because you looked down on me and my inability of mastering the powers given to me. I was jealous, back then.” Zelda lifted her hand to stop him from interrupting. Her smile turned sad and she shook her head. “I know now that I was wrong. You didn’t speak to me or anyone really because of the heavy burden that we put on your shoulders. You were too afraid to say something wrong or break under the pressure. You probably thought that it was best to stand strong and remain quiet. And I’m sorry that you were weighed down by that responsibility you didn’t choose.” She reached out and took a hand of his into her own, squeezing softly. “I watched over you throughout your journey, Link. I saw you signing freely and the way you would laugh and just be open. You were still carrying that burden but you had finally found somebody you could talk to and who would listen. And I was so happy for you, please believe me. When you two saved me I saw the way you held each other. That love between you two, I felt it in my whole being. You have given your life for this kingdom so please allow me to help you in any way I can.”

Looking down at their shared hands, Link took a shaking breath. He pulled his hands back and for just a second Zelda looked defeated but then he began to sign. It still felt odd, actually talking back to the princess but Link knew that he wasn’t the man from his memories anymore. He was so much more now.

_ “I don’t know what I did wrong. Since we defeated Ganon he was so absent and… distant. When I tried to talk to him he sounded so bitter and sad.” _

Zelda nodded and waited patiently for him to continue.

_ “He talked about how our idea of living in this house was just a stupid dream and how I would continue to travel through Hyrule because of politics. And he commented on me serving you but… he sounded so angry when he talked about you.”  _ Her brows raised in surprise and Link noticed the way she straightened her back.  _ “I was never that good at reading Ravio. He was better at understanding me without words but I never had to read much into him, he would just straight up say what he thought. But this time I didn't get him.”  _

She tapped her fingers on the table and nodded, her gaze distant. “Is there anything in his past that could explain his reaction? It sounds like he dislikes the idea of political agendas so the idea of you being… trapped, I guess, in this life seems to put him off.”

Link ran a hand through his hair while he tried to remember. Ravio had often mentioned the political meetings he had been on but… 

His eyes widened slightly.

_ “He used to be the advisor to the princess of Lorule. Her right hand man. He and his princess were close and he once said that after her father died and she became the new ruler they drifted apart. Their strong friendship got destroyed because of her responsibilities. He had said that he hated the boring political meetings and that as kids they would hide away from the royal guards.”  _

Zelda nodded and snapped her fingers. “That would definitely explain why he reacted so grimly to the possibility of you accompanying me on my travels. If he was that invested in his kingdom’s economy then he knows how much attention and time the rebuild is going to take. I mean, I can’t hold it against him. I too hated sitting around all day and listening to endless arguments between two people.” 

Her eyes rested on him for a moment and she hummed. “Do you think he could be scared that you both would grow apart if you were to come with me? If he blames the politics in his kingdom for the distancing of his princess maybe he fears that you too would be taken from him as a result?”

Moving his fingers, Link wanted to disagree and explain that Ravio wasn’t insecure but he remembered their conversation when he was about to pull the Master Sword. Back then the Lolian had hated the blade because he had believed it had taken princess Hilda from him. The longer he thought about it the more it sounded like one of the fears that Ravio would bury deep enough for nobody to see. 

He hesitantly nodded.

_ “But he should know better than to believe that I would ever just leave him behind. I love him.”  _ Link ignored the way the words pulled at his heart as he continued.  _ “He could just accompany us to the villages, he has been there before.”  _

“Was he happy?” 

Link blinked at the question.

“As an advisor, I mean. Was he happy when he lived in Lorule.”

He didn’t have an answer and Zelda took his silence as such.

“You said he had a dream, right? Of you two living here in this house?”

That was a question he knew how to reply to.  _ “Yes. He dreamt of becoming a real merchant and selling his inventions. We jokingly made a deal that I would get him the materials he would need and we would run his business together.”  _ A fond smile lingered on his lips at the memory.

“It certainly sounds like he had your future already planned out. Maybe that’s why he dislikes me? Because with my presence I prevent you from following that dream?”

But Link shook his head. Sure, it sounded plausible enough but he felt like there was more. There needed to be. He was missing a detail that would be important enough for Ravio to sound that bitter. His friend wasn’t selfish enough to hate a person simply because he couldn’t get something.

Staring at the princess, Link squinted his eyes. He tried to find what he was missing. Just what was it that he couldn’t understand?

  
  
  


_ ‘Lorule and Hyrule… they are like mirror images of each other. Our worlds are quite similar in a lot of ways. For example, your king looked like an older version of mine. I was told that most Loruleans had a counterpart in Hyrule.’  _

  
  
  


His blood ran cold.

How had he been this stupid?

Jumping up, Link didn’t hear the chair falling to the ground. His hands clung to the table as he stared intently at the princess. 

“Link? Are you alright?” 

He tried to imagine it. Tried to imagine a version of Zelda that would fistfight a group of boys and come out as the winner. Tried to imagine Zelda as a snarky and rude personality who would tease Ravio to no end. It was impossible.

Just as impossible as a version of himself that was eloquent and knew how to dance.

Goddess, how had he been this blind?

_ “Princess Hilda.”  _ was all he signed and Zelda furrowed her brows but he didn’t give her the time to speak up.  _ “Ravio is my counterpart. We resemble each other even if there are notable differences. He once told me that his king looked similar to your father.”  _

Her eyes widened in realization and the princess stood up from her chair as well.

“You mean I look like his princess?”

He nodded.  _ “I never met her but it would make so much sense. The reason he couldn’t look at you wasn’t because he disliked you but because…”  _

“I reminded him of somebody else.”

Zelda began to walk up and down in the room and Link could only share the sudden burst of nervous energy. _ “He said Hilda was like a sister to him. They were family. And he regrets not telling her goodbye properly when he left a century ago.”  _

“Oh Goddess.” The girl came to a sudden stop and her eyes rested on him, a haunted look on her expression. “I had never thought about it but you’re right. He too slept for a 100 years, did he not? He didn’t see his princess for a century and then I just showed up and… Goddess, Link, in how much pain must he have been?”

The Hylian shook his head. Just why hadn’t Ravio talked to him? Why had he gone through all this without sharing his pain? They were a duo, they were a simple merchant and adve—

  
  


_ ‘Answer truthfully… just who are you?’ _

  
  
  


Link felt his heart stop a beat. 

  
  
  


_ ‘I didn’t lie to you, I promise, Link. I really want to become a merchant and sell my inventions.’ _

_ ‘Let’s be a merchant and an adventurer. Nothing more, nothing less.’ _

_ ‘I saw the way you fell back into your role as a soldier.’ _

_ ‘All I see is an emotionless guard who waits for an order!’ _

_ ‘I know where I want to be, who I want to be and what I want to be. But I’m asking you, Link. Do you know your answers to these questions?’ _

  
  
  


Swallowing the lump in his throat, Link straightened his back. He met worried blue with his own and when he next signed, his hands weren’t trembling anymore.

_ “Zelda, please help me find him.”  _

He had a question to answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see a calm Ravio jumping out of the inn's window from the latest chapter, drawn by genderfluid-puddle-of-soup!](https://genderfluid-puddle-of-soup.tumblr.com/post/624327863281319936/what-do-you-mean-thats-not-how-it-went-inspired)
> 
> Some friendship time between Link and Zelda, yoohoo! I know it might seem a little rushed but I had no intention to drag this separation arc out for longer than it needed to be. Link isn't an idiot and with the help of Zelda he finally sat down and actually thought about Ravio's weird behavior. And, well, Link had every little puzzle piece that he needed, he just hadn't put them together. But hey, that's what his friend Zelda is for.
> 
> Next chapter will focus on Ravio and his arrival in Lorule. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	48. Return of the hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio returns to Lorule and explores Castletown. Little does he know what he will find. Or who.

Ravio didn’t know for how long he had been sitting in the grass now. He had wrapped his arms around his knees and simply stared as he breathed in the magic filled air. There were sparks dancing around his fingers but no energy was drained from him. The sun was just a little less intense on his skin, the colors a bit more washed out. The wind running its invisible fingers through his hair seemed to welcome him back.

He was finally home. 

Taking a deep breath, green eyes fluttered open and Ravio grinned brightly at the bird sitting on his boot.

“Welcome to Lorule, buddy.”

He stood up and stretched his arms, allowing the energy to enter his body. Sure hands reached up and Ravio removed his mask and hood. Here he could be himself. There was no need for a disguise, no murderous assassins who could confuse him for somebody else.

Here he was the one and only Ravio.

There was a small jump to his steps as he left the area around the Temple of Time. The  _ Lolians  _ that passed by him stared weirdly at him but the merchant still greeted them all. Sheerow flew around his head and Ravio couldn’t help but spin on his foot in order to look around. He was home. 

It only took him around an hour to reach Castletown. Just as always the city was buzzing with life and Ravio grinned at the guards as he strolled into the town. It was busy and judging by the sun most people were on their ways to work. The merchant hummed to himself as he held his hands behind his back, taking in the scents and noises from a prospering kingdom. A small chirp pulled him out of his immersion and Ravio grinned from ear to ear when he caught sight of the food stand Sheerow seemed interested in. 

“Good morning, lady!” Ravio greeted as he walked over to the saleswoman. 

“Good morning, how may I help you?”

“Two of your finest baked apples and one pouch of sunflower seeds please.” The bird chirped in agreement as it landed on his head.

“Right away, sir.” The woman was quick to work and Ravio fished out the necessary rupees when a question caught him off guard.

“You are not from here, are you?”

Looking up, Ravio furrowed his brows. The lady simply chuckled and handed him the bag as he offered payment.

“It’s just, you got an accent, you know? Is this your first time in Castletown?”

Oh, the irony. The merchant swallowed the lump in his throat as he attempted to smile. “No, I… I was just gone for a very long time. I travelled for a while and only returned home today.”   
  


The woman nodded and turned away when a new customer showed up.

“Welcome back, then! Enjoy your stay!”

Waving goodbye, Ravio fished out a few seeds for Sheerow to eat before biting into his apple. The bird had made its nest in his scarf and together they wandered through the streets of his hometown. 

“An accent, huh?” the merchant mumbled to no one. Had he really been long enough in Hyrule to change without noticing? For now he shook the worry aside. He didn’t want to think about that kingdom, he was finally home and Ravio wanted to take a few hours just for himself before starting to think about his next steps. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts when something stopped him from continuing. Turning around, Ravio first saw the hand on his arm before he followed the sight to an elderly man’s face. He cocked his head and swallowed the bite as the old stranger stared at him with wide eyes.

“Can I help you, sir?”

“That scarf… It’s you, isn’t it? But how can that be?”

Ravio furrowed his brows and took an unsure step back but the man wouldn’t let go of him.

“I’m sorry but I think you might confuse me for somebody.”

The man shook his head and the merchant got startled when he noticed the tears. “Goddess above, it’s really you, Ravio. Don’t you recognize me?” Green eyes blinked in confusion and the elder snorted before pulling him into a bone crushing hug.

“Just forgot about your little brother? I know we didn’t always get along but that’s just rude.”

His heart stopped.

Leaning back in the hug, Ravio cupped the man’s face and moved it to the side and there it was, that familiar little mole just under the ear. He couldn’t believe it.

“Gulley? Dude, you’re  _ old. _ ” 

His joyful laughter echoed through the market as his little brother slapped his arm. Hard. 

“Ouch, you are still as violent as always!” Ravio cried out but his grin gave his happiness away. 

“And you are still as whiny as the last time I saw you.” 

The two adoptive brothers smiled at each other and Gulley interlocked their arms. “Come on, I will take you to my shop. You owe me a long ass story.” 

Ravio snorted as he allowed the man to drag him along. “Language, brother.”

“Fuck off.”

* * *

Sitting in the backroom of a blacksmith’s shop, Ravio had his hands wrapped around a cup of tea as he told his story to his brother. He explained how he and Hilda had had haunting dreams, how he had been sent to Hyrule and how he had travelled through the worst areas in order to free mechanical animals. He told him about how he and the other hero had fought together to defeat an oversized boar and how the kingdom had finally returned to peace. Gulley of course didn’t believe him one bit at first but there was no other explanation for Ravio’s youth and change in personality. He showed off his new scar from the time he had been burned and pulled out the book he had taken from the castle. At the end the two brothers sat in silence and his tea had gotten cold. 

“Goddess, I had no idea, Rav. Why in Nayru’s name did anyone agree to just send you off like that? You didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Destiny, I guess. The damned life of a hero.” Ravio snorted and took a sip from his cup only to grimace at the temperature. “But enough about me, please tell me what went on in your life.”

Gulley leaned back in his chair, a cane resting by his side. The elder’s eyes were focused on the candle between them and he sighed with an exhaustion that mirrored the many years on his old bones.

“I noticed something was wrong when you didn’t come to Kakariko for the festival of the beast. Since the king had taken you in you never missed out on one so our parents got worried when you didn’t show up. Mother and I went to the castle but the guards had refused to let us in. Your friend, queen Hilda, finally met us outside and told us the bare minimum. Something about you being on a secret quest and that you would return once you were done.” Gulley smiled toothily and snorted. “You should have seen mom. She was ready to fight a whole army, it was that kind of anger she had shown whenever we had gotten hurt. Momma bear in action and stuff… She never stopped waiting for you, Rav. Sure, you weren’t her biological son but she loved you as much as one.” The man sighed and slumped into his chair. “Every year she would place a candle by the window on the day you had disappeared… She fully believed you would return one day.” 

Ravio felt his heart squeeze uncomfortably and he reached out for his brother’s hand. This family had taken him in when he had been just an infant. One day he had appeared on their doorstep in the middle of the night and his crying had woken up a tired blacksmith and his wife. But he had been raised as one of them, and had grown up alongside Gulley. Even when the king had taken him in, Ravio had never forgotten his origins. He had visited their home in Kakariko whenever he had gotten the chance and even when his position as advisor had taken up most of his time, he would always return for the festival of the beast. The scarf he had looked after for all these years had been knitted by their mother and the colors had represented their uniforms as blacksmiths.

“When I was old enough I started working for our father. It wasn’t an exciting life but you know how it is, family business and all… Mother was the first to pass on. She eventually grew sick and even though queen Hilda had sent us enough rupees and supplies there was nothing we could do as she slowly withered away…” Gulley was crying by now and Ravio too had to wipe his tears away. His hands were trembling and even the comfort of the bird in his scarf did nothing to calm his racing heart. Goddess, he had missed so much while he had been gone. 

“Father tried to be strong but the older he grew the less he could do. Eventually the years of being a blacksmith caught up to him and he could barely move anymore with his aching bones. I took over his shop and a few years later he too left me alone.” The man squeezed his hand. “I won’t lie, Rav. For some time I tried to hate you. I didn’t know where you were, why you had left, or if you were ever coming back. But eventually I realized that I wasn’t angry at you. I was worried. No one knew whether you were still alive and even though queen Hilda had told me about some dreams of you in another place, I didn’t believe her. I eventually couldn’t bear living in our family’s home anymore so I sold the house and moved here to Castletown to build up a little shop for myself. And that’s where I’ve been since then.”

Ravio didn’t know what to say, doubted there even was anything he could do to make up for the time he had missed. 

“I’m so sorry, Gulley, I—” 

His brother lifted his hand. “It’s okay, Rav. I forgive you, please don’t feel bad. What happened to you was nobody’s fault and I am happy to know that my own brother has not only saved another kingdom but Lorule as well. Our parents would be so proud of you.” 

Gulley said these words with such conviction and love that Ravio believed him. He broke down right there, cried and sobbed, and when arms wrapped around his shoulder he leaned into the embrace of his brother. 

* * *

“What are you going to do now?” 

Playing around with the hem of his tunic, Ravio shrugged his shoulders uselessly. They were still sitting in the small back room and the Lolian sighed with exhaustion. 

“I will visit their graves eventually but for now I need some time to think. Besides, I should probably head to the castle and inform the current ruler that Lorule won’t be hunted down by an angry cloud anytime soon.”

His brother snorted and Ravio smiled weakly.

“Right, I should probably inform you about the current situation. Lorule has been fine in the past century, we almost had a small war with the Zoras but that got resolved. Other than that the kingdom is doing well so I would say you didn’t really miss anything important. The current leader is princess Hilda but her mother, the queen, is still around if you want to talk to her as well.”

Green eyes blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Jumping to his feet, Ravio slammed his hands onto the table as he stared at his brother. “Hilda,  _ my  _ Hilda, is still around?”

And Gulley had the audacity to look at him with a shit eating grin. That little gremlin. “Your Hilda? Damn it, brother, did something happen that you didn’t tell me before?” Ravio’s face heated up and he simply glared at the old man. “Shut it, Gul. She’s my sister so that’s like really gross. Besides, I’m already taken so thank you very much.”

His brother’s eyes widened and Ravio immediately regretted saying anything. “You? Taken? Oh please, I think you just left out a whole chunk in your story, didn’t you?” 

Grabbing his bag, Ravio showed the blacksmith the middle finger as he wiggled out of the room. “Come on, Rav! You can’t drop that bomb on me and just leave!” the man yelled after him with that familiar mocking tone.

“I’ll see you in another century, Gulley!”

The laughter rang through the shop and Ravio allowed himself to smile as well. He looked over his shoulder to the room and when Sheerow chirped, the Lolian only sighed in happiness. 

“Come on, buddy, we got a queen to visit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see Ravio's reaction to Link wearing the vai outfit, drawn by spiritsong!](https://spiritsong.tumblr.com/post/624391436176080896/fanart-for-nothing-more-nothing-less-by-farbsturz)
> 
> Welcome to Lorule, everyone! I don't have that much to say about this chapter but if anyone was ever confused about the Gulley tag in this fic, now you know why it's there. So far I had only ever hinted at the fact that Ravio had a family in Lorule. It was mentioned in the identity reveal chapter and again whenever he thought about what might await him back home. Ravio was around 8 years old when the king found him, so he spent more years around Hilda than his adoptive family. (I will say more about Hilda in tomorrow's chapter)
> 
> The chapter name is a reference to ALBW if anyone recognizes it. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	49. Through thick and thin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio meets up with an old friend.

The castle looked as beautiful as the day he had left. It stood tall above the buildings of Castletown and its flags moved proudly in the wind. Ravio took his time just admiring the sight even though terrifying images managed to overlay with this new reality of his. He would walk down the courtyard and check twice when he had thought he had seen a mechanical spider in the corner of his eyes. Even a patrolling guard scared the heck out of him as he approached the main gate. 

Calming his nerves, Ravio straightened his back and held his head high as he approached the two soldiers that guarded the entrance to the castle. 

They blocked his path, of course.

“State your business.”

“I ask for an audience with the princess.”

They raised their brows at him, a mocking amusement in their eyes. “Turn around and go home, kid. The princess doesn’t have time for people like you.”

He narrowed his eyes and pulled off his left glove, revealing the birthmark on his hand. “And here I thought the queen would be delighted to hear about the return of the Hero of Lorule?”

Needless to say, Ravio entered the castle.

Two new guards appeared by his side but he knew that they were simply following the protocol. He was accompanied to the throne room and the Lolian couldn’t stop a shiver running down his spine as he walked through a stairway that was fully intact. Ravio stumbled over his own feet when his eyes focused on another hallway and he could see his partner being freed from malice just as everything turned dark around him. Shaking his head, the merchant took a shaking breath. 

The throne room looked just like he had remembered.

In the center stood a beautiful woman in her late seventies, her purple hair braided so it wouldn’t fall into her face as she leaned over a map. She looked like she was in an animated conversation with another woman though the room went quiet when the princess noticed his appearance. Readjusting her dress, the woman glared at the guards behind him.

She looked just like her mother.

“I thought I had made it clear when I had said that I didn’t want to be interrupted.”

Before the soldiers could speak up, however, Ravio was already bowing down. “I apologize for my intrusion, Your Highness. However, I thought you would want me to report back from my mission the moment I arrived in town.”

She raised a brow at him and the merchant bit back his smile when he recognized the familiar judging glance.

“And who might you be? I have never seen you before.”   
  


He raised his head and smiled toothily as he lifted his hand, causing the Triforce to glow. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the dramatic entrance of his little birthmark but Ravio guessed that they both had a thing for theatrics. The shock in red eyes sure was worth it though.

“Everyone, leave us at once. And somebody call for my mother, this is a visitor she wants to meet.”

The princess waited until the room was completely empty before she approached him. Her stoic expression finally relaxed into an easy smile and she huffed, crossing her arms.

“You sure let my mother wait, you know that?”

Ravio rubbed his neck in embarrassment as he allowed himself to relax. “To be fair, I was never known to be the fastest. But better late than never, am I right?”

The princess grinned and patted his shoulder, leading him back towards the throne. “Would you like to drink something? Are you hungry?”

“Oh no, I’m fine, really. I made a stop in town, I don’t need anything.” 

Before the woman could say anything else the doors were slammed open and Ravio almost had a heart attack. He spun around and an elderly lady came marching towards him, wrinkled red eyes looking  _ pissed.  _

Ravio backed off immediately.

“H-Hildy? My Goddess, you look… great?” He squeaked as the queen came to a stop in front of him and a moment later he cried out in pain when his ear was being grabbed.

“Ravio, you damn idiot!”

He blinked when those weak arms suddenly wrapped around his neck and Ravio stared at the woman in his arms who was shaking with tears. Smiling softly, the merchant returned the hug and pulled his best friend closer as he buried his face in grey hair. “I missed you too, Hildy. So much.” 

* * *

Falling onto the soft bed, Ravio buried his face into the feather pillow and sighed. He had spent most of the day just talking to Hilda senior and junior about the current politics and answered any questions the two had asked regarding the economy and minor issues with the other races. Apparently no other advisor had come close to his understanding of the kingdom and while Ravio had felt flattered by the compliment and trust, he also had felt annoyed that he had been quickly pulled back into this whole mess.

Something heavy landed on his head and Ravio only groaned when Sheerow decided to use his hair as a makeshift nest. At least Hilda had agreed to a walk through Castletown in two days so they could actually catch up on any topics that weren’t related to the wealth and problems of Lorule. It wasn’t like he could hold it against his friend though. Ravio had just shown up out of the blue and he couldn’t expect everyone to simply drop whatever they were doing and pay attention to him. Besides, it felt good to be needed. After all these years Hilda still trusted him to make the best decisions for the crown.

He rolled onto his back and grinned when Sheerow chirped in distress. Laughing softly, he watched as the bird landed on his chest instead and little red eyes glared at him. Ravio patted the little companion as a silent apology. 

“So? What do you think of Lorule so far?”

Sheerow looked at him and cocked its head before starting to groom its feathers.

“I know it’s less intense than Hyrule but... It’s my home, you know? It still feels so weird to be back, this is even the same room I used to live in. Granted all my personal stuff has been removed but still… I could almost fool myself into believing that everything was just a giant dream and that I finally woke up.” His free hand pushed the tunic up and he traced the scarred skin. 

“Emphasis on almost.”   
  


He stared up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. Sure, Ravio was incredibly happy that he got to talk to Gulley and Hilda but no matter how well received he was, he couldn’t deny the hole in his chest. Especially now that he was alone with his thoughts did the merchant find himself yearning for somebody who was so far away. Holding his left hand into the air, Ravio furrowed his brows.

“You can’t tell me how he’s doing, can you?”

But the Triforce remained quiet.

He rested his arm over his eyes and took a shaking breath as tears swelled up in his eyes. “I miss him so much, Sheerow. It hurts.” Ravio moved to lie on his side as he curled into himself, hugging the pillow close to his chest. Not being able to stop the tears, the Lolian sobbed as his whole body began to tremble. “What… what if he doesn’t want me back?” His voice sounded as broken as he felt and Ravio hated it. “What if… he realized he’s better off… without me?”

Ravio didn’t hear the faint knocking on the door nor the quiet footsteps as somebody entered his room. He didn’t look up when the bed dipped down under a new weight but a moment later an arm was wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him against a chest. Not moving from his fetal position, Ravio allowed the hand to rub his arm in silent comfort. He could smell the perfume of his sister but neither of them said anything. 

Ravio had finally returned home, was lying in the embrace of his best friend...

...And yet he had never felt this lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all: This chapter is pretty short because I wanted the following chapter to entirely focus on the talk between Ravio and Hilda. This is merely a setup for a bigger conversation/chapter that will be posted tomorrow so I apologize for its shortness. Tomorrow's update should hopefully make up for it.
> 
> Hilda's status had been a mystery (even to me) throughout the whole fic. It was only around the Hyrule Castle arc that I finally decided on her being alive. Originally, when I had first started the fic, I had envisioned her as a ghost like the former champions and the king of Hyrule. I had thought about Hilda being a ghost who had waited all those years for Ravio to return before she could move on. However, in the end I decided against this. With Hylians (Impa) being able to turn incredibly old, I decided that a handful of Ravio's old acquaintances could still be around as well. It would also have felt unfair if I had given Link Zelda back only to take Hilda from Ravio. So yeah, Schrödinger's Hilda turned out to be alive and looking back on the following chapters I don't regret the choice.
> 
> Anyway, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's chapter!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	50. Through hardships to the stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Hilda have a heart to heart talk before they get rudely interrupted.

Two days had to pass until Hilda had finally taken time off for them to catch up. He had used that free time to return to his old house and to his surprise it had still been there. His friend had informed him that she had continued to pay its rent and had even gone as far as hiring somebody to look after it from time to time. It had taken Ravio by surprise to return to his home only to find everything exactly as he had left it. Even his bombs had still been in the same spot though there was no dust on any of them. It was if he had never left and yet everything had changed.

The two friends walked through Castletown for a while. At first a pair of knights had followed them around but after Hilda had grown annoyed by the constant supervision she had sent them away not too kindly. Even when they had dared to worry about her safety, his friend had simply brushed them off and said that nowhere was safer but at the side of the hero. 

Ravio had tried to ignore his aching heart.

“I will believe a great many things but you can’t convince me that those rock dudes exist.” Hilda laughed as they walked through the quieter streets, their arms interlocked. The merchant grinned toothily and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m dead serious, Hildy! They eat rocks for dinner! Goddess, their city was really hot and sweaty but those hot springs definitely made up for everything.”

The elderly woman snorted and Ravio couldn’t help but chuckle. “Rav, hot springs? I sent you there to save their kingdom, not to take a vacation!” She playfully smacked his arm and the Lolian dramatically flinched back. “It wasn’t my idea, I swear! Link, he—” Every humor left his voice and Ravio stopped where he stood, eyes averted. He bit his lips before shaking his head. “Link, he took me to one because he had been worried about my health…”

Hilda noticed the shift in mood. Of course she did, she could read him like an open book. “Link? That is Hyrule’s hero, isn’t it?” He nodded but refused to give any other reply. A moment passed and his best friend lightly began to nudge him into a direction. The merchant followed blindly as his eyes stared at the ground. 

They returned to the castle and entered the garden, walked past the pedestal of the Master Sword and towards one of the lower hills. Ravio recognized the place. From here they had watched the shooting stars. Back then life had seemed so easy. It took them longer to climb because of Hilda’s age but eventually the two friends sat down on top of the hill, overwatching the whole garden. The sun was shining into their faces and bees hummed around them in search of the colorful flowers. Hilda took his hand into her own and she squeezed gently, her eyes incredibly kind. It was rare to see her without her smirk but Ravio knew that they both had changed. 

“Now tell me about the part you deliberately left out from your story.”

Her voice was soft, barely a whisper, but it was strong nonetheless. Sighing heavily, Ravio pulled his hand back as he began to trace the birthmark on his left hand.

“Everything I told you was true. The Divine Beasts, the dragons, the different races and Calamity Ganon. But the Hero of Hyrule and I… We started to grow closer.” 

He smiled bitterly. “It was only to be expected, of course. You don’t travel together for months and save each other’s lives without it having any consequences on your friendship… But the real shift happened when I revealed myself to him. Goddess, Hilda, you should have seen him. I thought that the moment I removed my mask he would abandon me because of my lies and just move on without me but… but he…” Voice wavering, Ravio took a shaking breath as he clenched his hands into fists. He glared at the ground and quietly cursed his own weakness but wrinkled fingers reached out for him, helping him relax. 

“He looked at me. Truly looked at me. And you know what he said? That we looked different. H-He wasn’t angry or hurt. He complimented my eyes and called me his friend and since then everything changed. I suddenly could be myself, I could make comments about Lorule and he would never look at me like I was a freak or a coward or… or anything less than I actually was. Link would look at me and see the man I wanted to be, not the person I was supposed to be. And then the hot springs…” He ran a hand through his hair as he took another deep breath.

“He kissed me, Hilda. It was like a scene from those novels you used to read. It was under a full moon and we were in the hot spring and I was my usual rambling self when he would just kiss me and shut me up.” 

His heart hurt. “For a time we were happy. We had bought a house, we continued to travel through Hyrule and we dreamt about a future where we would grow old together. But then I had to mess everything up… Just like I have always done.”

“Rav, you don’t—” But he lifted his hand to silence his friend.

“Let me finish. We had just defeated Calamity Ganon when I started to ruin everything. We freed princess Zelda and… Goddess, Hilda, she looks just like you did. Sure, her hair and eyes were different, and her expression was softer but there was no mistaking. Zelda was your counterpart… Even her voice sounded like yours in the right tone.”

Standing up, Ravio began to walk up and down when the nervous energy became too much for him. He knew his friend was watching him with sad eyes but he couldn’t meet them. He was too scared. “I started to realize many things at once. For one, I felt jealous that Link had his princess back while I believed you to be dead. I also saw how Link fell back into his behavior as a knight… You should have seen him, Hildy. He stood to the princess’ side, he refused to speak, and he followed any order without thinking… It broke my heart seeing him like that. All that time he had said how he didn’t want to be a guard anymore, how he wanted to be a simple explorer and from one moment to another he fell into his old life.”

He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. “I snapped. I said horrible things to him because I was thinking selfishly. I wanted him to be with me but then everyone talked about Link accompanying Zelda to the different races and I remembered my time as your advisor and I just… I wanted an exit. I wanted to throw anything political away and just live my own life regardless of the world problems…” 

Falling back onto his knees, Ravio wiped the first tears away. “I treated him horribly, Hilda. I left him because I wanted him to make a decision and now I fear that he chose Zelda and Hyrule over me. The worst part is that I can’t hold it against him. I expected him to make an impossible choice and I was arrogant to believe that I could compete with everything the life of a guard had to offer. In the end I’m just me and Zelda is a princess with an actual promising future…”

He didn’t resist when the queen pulled him into an embrace. Burying his face in her neck, Ravio began to cry as he clung onto his friend. Fingers moved through his hair and he could only shake his head when she mumbled words of encouragement.

“I messed up, Hilda. He probably hates me or moved on and I would deserve it. But by Lolia, I love him. I love him so much it hurts.” 

“Tell me more about him, Rav. Forget your last meeting, think back to the other days you spent together… What is he like?”

Furrowing his brows, Ravio tried to focus on the positive experiences they’d had. “He’s… he’s incredible… He can fight like no other and yet he looks like the kindest person in the world. He can be snarky and sarcastic but also considerate and supporting. And his eyes, Hilda. Goddess, those endless blue eyes. They are the color of anything good, they resemble the sky and the ocean and I would drown myself in them anytime he would look at me. But also his hands. He’s mute so he uses his body language a lot and he can be so gentle and careful with his hands that you feel like you are invaluable and have to be treated as such. He doesn’t speak but he has so much personality and he listens to my ramblings and never complains.”

Hilda hummed against his head and leaned away so Ravio could see her smile. “He sounds like somebody I would get along with.” 

He couldn’t help the small smile on his lips. “Funny, I said the same thing when I told him about you.” 

The merchant freed himself from the embrace as he began to fiddle around with his loose shirt. He hadn’t bothered with his usual armor today and he wore as plain looking clothes as there could be. Only his scarf had remained with a sleeping bird inside. 

“What are you going to do now then, Rav?”

Shrugging his shoulders, the Lolian looked towards the flowers around them.

“I had planned on returning to Hyrule but now I’m not sure if I should. I mean, the fissure was still there when I left our Temple of Time but it’s more a question of whether I have any reason to go back. I played my role and I shouldn’t overstay my welcome, right?”

Hilda glared at him and crossed her arms, clearly disapproving with his point of view. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard you say all day, Ravio. You don’t need a reason or excuse to return to Hyrule if that’s what you want. No one should stop you from finding your happiness, least of all you yourself. I can tell that you want to talk to Link. You won’t be happy anywhere as long as you didn’t get closure in one way or another. And from what I can tell he will feel the same way. Don’t torture the two of you because of a warped set of mind. And if Hylia doesn’t allow you back then you will tell me and we will collect the Triforce of Power so we can use the completed one to beat her up.” 

Whatever Ravio wanted to say was interrupted by the sudden sound of a horn. His whole body froze up when he remembered the last time he had heard that haunting noise. Back then it had echoed through the castle after their king had been killed and guards had realized who had been at fault for it.

“An intruder?” Hilda said but Ravio had already jumped back onto his feet. He drew the Bow of Light from his back and his eyes narrowed as he looked around. Finding his footing, the merchant pulled the bowstring back and summoned an arrow made of pure light.

Hilda was looking at him with wide eyes and there was a hint of pride that he recognized.

“Stay with me. I won’t let anything harm you.”

His voice was dangerously calm as his breath began to even out. No more tears fell and the trembling made way for a sharp control over his body. Green eyes scanned their surroundings and his ear began to twitch as he heard commotion coming from one of the hallways that led to the garden. Aiming towards the entrance, he absently noticed Hilda drawing a small dagger from her boots. He smiled.

The clanging noises of heavy armor being carried through the castle became louder with each passing second and Ravio wondered whether the guards had already found whoever had dared to break into the castle.

“What kind of idiot would try and barge into the most well guarded place in the middle of the day?” the queen whispered and Ravio could only wonder the same.

They waited for five heartbeats when somebody came running through the entrance of the garden, followed by several guards who were definitely struggling to keep up. Ravio traced the path of the intruder and he breathed onto his arrow, ready to let go when his eyes suddenly widened.

“Guards, cease the pursuit!” He yelled with surprising authority and the knights came to a sudden stop, their heads pointed into his direction. Ravio held the bow by his side as his other hand was outstretched, showing off the glowing Triforce of Wisdom. The intruder never stopped running but when their eyes met Ravio knew that his heart stopped a beat.

From what he could tell, Link looked like an absolute mess. His hair was messy, his clothes dirty, and he was running barefoot of all things. And yet that grin Ravio received let him almost forget where they were.

The knights were still hesitating but Hilda, blessed Hilda, seemed to respect his decision enough to follow up. “Leave at once! I trust my hero so return to your positions!” The guards left and not a moment later Link began to climb the hill they were standing on. His best friend was still holding onto the dagger but Ravio placed his hand on top of hers, gently pushing the weapon away.

“Trust me.” the merchant said and after a moment she reluctantly put the dagger away.

Link finally reached the top of the hill and Ravio had been right about his first perception. The Hylian looked as feral as one could be. His face was dirty, his hair barely contained by his ponytail, and he wore the same worn shirt and pants he had first appeared in when they had met. He looked every inch a suspicious burglar if it wasn’t for the fancy looking bracelet on his wrist that distantly resembled his own. 

“Ravio, he looks…” Hilda gasped and he could only nod.

“... like me, I know.” Though he hadn’t noticed their similarities in a long time.

Link was panting heavily as he supported himself on his knees but any hint of relief suddenly vanished from his face as he straightened his back. Blue eyes turned serious and Link held himself with an authority Ravio hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t the tense posture of a guard or the arrogant language of a hero. He couldn’t place it.

_ “My name is Link.”  _ his partner began to sign as those gorgeous eyes captured his own. Ravio couldn’t look away even if he had wanted to.

_ “I was born into a family of fighters. I was trained to be a knight. I was promoted to the princess’ personal guard. I was called a champion. I was given the title of Chosen Hero.”  _

Link hesitated for just a moment but when he next signed, it was with an unwavering determination. 

_ “But I am none of those anymore.” _

_ “My name is Link. I am a simple adventurer and I am in love with you.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, yes, one of my favourite tropes to use in this fic. "What kind of idiot would fight a Lynel by himself?" "What kind of idiot would try to deflect a guardian beam?" "What kind of idiot breaks into the castle?" Great news, Ravio, it's your idiot. 
> 
> Anyway, here it is! The big reunion and the scene that had caused the whole separation to happen. I just really wanted to write Ravio and Hilda hanging out together when suddenly they are warned of an incoming danger but it's just one (1) gay with no impulse control who thought breaking into the castle was a smart idea. 
> 
> Something I should probably point out is that chapter 53 will be the official ending of this story. Chapter 54 will be an epilogue and then there are two little boni chapters with scenes that didn't fit into either the whole fic or the epilogue. So yeah, the countdown starts. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	51. Only us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ravio are finally reunited.

Signing the last words, Link held his breath. He was frozen in place and simply stared at Ravio, praying that he hadn’t messed up. The old lady by his side looked to and fro between them but the Hylian didn’t pay attention. No, he only had eyes for his partner. Even though it had only been a handful of days Link had felt like he had been missing a part and no matter what he had done he hadn’t been able to regain it. But now that he was standing in front of the merchant everything fell back into place and he felt his heart flutter. The Lolian opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and Link couldn’t help but grow fidgety.

However, before he could truly regret his words, Ravio crossed the distance and when hands cupped his face Link knew that he had said the right things. Desperate lips met his own and blue fluttered close as he wrapped his arms around the merchant’s neck, pulling him as close as he could. The hands on his cheeks moved down to wrap around his waist and he buried his fingers into dark hair to lightly tug at them, earning himself a gasp against his lips. Link was quick to use the opening and he deepened the kiss as fingernails dug into his skin through the thin fabric of his shirt. A shiver ran down his spine and Link’s head was spinning. Nothing mattered but the hands on his body and those beautiful lips against his own. Ravio’s scent surrounded him and Link could taste salt. Whether they were his tears or the Lolian’s, he didn’t care. 

They were together again.

Leaning back to breathe for air, Link didn’t allow his friend to separate just yet. They clung onto each other as their foreheads touched and the Hylian rubbed their noses together in an affectionate gesture. A breathless chuckle reached his ears and Link felt like screaming. 

He had missed Ravio so Goddess damn much.

The merchant stole a few more kisses and Link was more than willing to provide as many as the other wanted. They simply held each other and when he opened his eyes, Link was greeted by that beautiful green. 

_“I love you._ ” he mouthed and Ravio leaned in for a softer kiss. 

“I love you too.” 

“I take it you know the intruder then?” An amused voice spoke up and Link flinched at the realization that they weren’t alone. Ravio too jumped but even when they separated, they still held onto each other’s waist, not yet ready to let go. The merchant was bright red and Link felt those butterflies back in his stomach.

“Might have met him once or twice before, yeah.” Ravio winced when his voice sounded hoarse and his shoulders turned even redder as he cleared his throat. Grinning, the hero couldn’t help but nuzzle into his partner’s neck. 

“A-Anyways, Hilda, meet the Hero of Hyrule, Link. Link, this is the queen of Lorule and my sister, Hilda.” 

He bowed down in courtesy even though it was a clumsy gesture with him still holding onto his partner. The elderly lady simply laughed, however, and Link felt himself relax. 

“You couldn’t have shown up an hour earlier, huh? Now I had to listen to Ravio’s whining and mid-life crisis for nothing.” The queen was clearly joking and by the way Ravio groaned it was more a poke at his friend than himself.

“Hildy, please.” the Lolian whined but the queen was already smirking, showing off her teeth. Link suddenly understood the description he had been given of the woman.

“So you are the person who had the misfortune of falling in love with this idiot. I already heard that you can’t speak and I can’t imagine the horror of travelling with this clown without being able to tell him to shut up.”

Ravio was hiding his face in his neck now and a pleasant shiver ran down his spine at the closeness. Link couldn’t help but return the shit eating grin of the woman as he began to reply. 

_“I did actually find a way to shut him up.”_

Whistling lowly, Link waited until his friend looked up at him. It was clear that Ravio hadn’t read his hands because when he pulled the merchant into a sudden kiss, his partner actually squeaked. Link and Hilda both laughed even when Ravio glared daggers at him.

_“See? It works wonders.”_ _  
  
_

“I hate both of you.” Ravio pouted and he pointed first at Hilda. “I expected nothing less from you, traitorous princess.” Green met his eyes. “But you? My own partner? The love of my life?” And Link couldn’t deny the way those words filled him with warmth. In a quiet apology he nudged their noses together, his hand finding Ravio’s in order to intertwine. The Lolian sighed softly but when a kiss was pressed to his temple, Link knew that his friend was just being overdramatic again.

“Goddess Lolia, you two are gross.” Hilda snorted but her kind smile spoke volumes. Her red eyes rested on Ravio and Link could tell that she was relieved to see him in a good mood. The hero didn’t know how his friend had held himself the past few days but if it had been just half the pain he had felt then her reaction was understandable. 

“I will return to my quarters, Rav. I think you two have a lot to catch up and you gotta get all that affection out of your veins before I allow you anywhere near me again. I will see you at dinner tonight.” 

He watched as his friend left his side in order to help the queen down the hill. Ravio was holding onto her with a gentleness that was unrivaled and Link was once again reminded why he had come all the way to Lorule. The Lolian was one of a kind and the hero would have been stupid not to fight for him. 

A minute later Ravio returned to him and the two travellers stood a few feet away from each other. To Link the distance was unbearingly big but he wanted to respect the merchant’s decision. Ravio rubbed his arms before their eyes met again.

“Link, I…” the Lolian started but it was obvious he didn’t know how to continue. “I know I treated you unfairly. I had no right to judge you for your decisions and I should have never put down an ultimatum. I was scared. I let my insecurities do the thinking for me and I in no way want to defend myself. What I did was unforgivable and if anything I should have showed up at your doorstep and not the other way. I’m so sorry.”

But Link shook his head. _“I should have noticed that you were hurting. You had mentioned over and over again how you had disliked your life as an advisor but I was too occupied with Zelda to realize that you were in pain. I need you to know that I would never leave you behind or replace you. I’m sorry for making you doubt me and you were right. I did fall back into my old behavior and I didn’t even notice.”_

He took a step closer. _“I thought about your question. You always knew who you wanted to be but I was never confident enough in myself to decide. I had always just followed orders but when I travelled with you I was not a subordinate. I was an equal. After Ganon I didn’t know who I was supposed to be but when you were gone I understood who I wanted to be.”_

Another step. _“I don’t want to be a quiet knight. And I don’t want to be a hero either. I want to be a nobody and wake up next to you every morning. No responsibilities, no important meetings. I want to be by your side…”_ He bit his lips.

_“If you still want me, that is.”_

“Oh, Link.” Ravio took the final step and when a hand came resting on his face, the Hylian leaned into the touch. He opened his eyes to look into loving green and there was so much affection in the gesture that he felt like crying. “Of course I want you. Until the very end I want to wake up next to you and hold you and kiss you and simply exist with you.” 

Licking his lips, Link repeated the words he had signed all those months ago.

_“Stay with me.”_

And when Ravio leaned in for a kiss, his eyes fluttered close.

“For as long as you will have me.” 

Their lips met and Link melted into the warmth.

_Forever._

* * *

Grinning as he was pulled along, the two travellers ran through the hallways of the castle. Guards at every corner would stare after them but no one dared to stop them. Whether Hilda had given them an order or they simply didn’t want to deal with the energetic Hero of Lorule, Link didn’t know. 

Ravio had given him some of his own clothes. It had come to the surprise of no one when they had fit perfectly and Link was thankful to finally wear shoes. When asked about his dirty appearance he had answered that he hadn’t wanted to show up in anything but the clothes of an explorer. Ravio had scolded him for his lack of equipment but the kiss that had followed had been more than worth it. Now wearing a purple tunic and brown pants, Link grinned widely as they escaped the neat castle. There was so much Ravio wanted to show him and the Hylian was eager to come along. 

After all, he had always dreamt of exploring Lorule together with his partner.

Walking through an intact Castletown, Link smiled as the Lolian swung their joined hands to and fro. Sheerow was resting on top of his blond hair and the hero couldn’t help but smile at the protectiveness of his two friends. He knew he had made the right decision when he had asked Zelda to free him of his rank. 

“I want you to meet somebody important to me, Link. But be prepared, he may look like a fragile and broken old man but he’s a little gremlin.”

The Hylian furrowed his brows but simply nodded as he was led into a blacksmith’s shop. A muscular man was standing at a forge and curious blue watched as the hammer came down onto the burning hot metal, accompanied by sparks of green. His eyes widened and he looked up at Ravio who grinned, showing off his tooth gap.

“Yeah, he’s working magic into the weapon so it's more durable.”

He couldn’t help but grow excited. _“Could that be done to my weapons as well?”_

His friend laughed. “Sure, though I’m scared of what you would do with, say, an enhanced Lynel’s sword.” 

“What is this commotion in my shop?!” A voice boomed from somewhere in the back and Link flinched slightly, worried that they had been too loud. But a hand came to squeeze his arm and Ravio still looked at ease as he led them towards a backroom. There, in a rocking chair, sat an elderly man with grey hair. He was wearing an apron in the colors of blue and black, and Link couldn’t help but compare it to the scarf around his friend’s neck. 

“Your shop must be doing horrible if that’s how you treat potential customers.” Ravio grinned and the stoic glare of the elder morphed into a mirrored expression.

“We both know you are as broke as always, Rav. You were always horrible when it came to rupees, it wouldn’t be worth even trying to sell you anything.”

Link blinked in surprise. This conversation sounded suspiciously close to one of the first teasing arguments the two of them had had. Though he couldn’t think about the similarities when the man seemingly studied him from head to toe. There was something analytical to those old eyes, a hidden spark that Link had seen in familiar green. 

“Why the fuck are there two of you?”

It sounded rude but Ravio didn’t seem bothered as he wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. Link had no clue what was going on but his partner’s touch helped keep him grounded. Leaning into the warmth, the Hylian was aware of how the guy followed their every movement. 

“Language, brother. You are making a horrible first impression.”

There was a beat of silence before blue eyes widened greatly. _“Brother?”_ Link signed and he was glad that he wasn’t able to make an embarrassed noise. The old man only snorted.

“Who gives a shit about that, I’m way more interested in that friend of yours. Truth be told I thought you were messing with me when you said you were taken but would you look at that, you found yourself a better half. Literally.”

Ravio finally looked at him and he rolled his eyes. “Link, I would like you to meet my younger brother Gulley. I used to live with his family until the king found me. I consider him and Hilda my siblings, even if it’s not blood that binds us.” The Lolian looked over to the elder. “Gulley, this is Link, the Hero of Hyrule that I told you about. And you were right, I did leave out a few details here and there about our travels.” 

Link waved with a small smile.

_“Younger_ brother? I think the heck not, Rav. I’m 114 years old, the tables have turned.” 

He watched in silence as the two brothers glared at each other before his partner broke into a grin. “And I’m 117. Tough luck, Gul, maybe one day you will beat me at something.”

“Oh, I will beat you up alright. Besides, physically you’re still a baby so that doesn’t count.”

_“Mentally too.”_ Link couldn’t help but add and both Lolians stared at him in stunned silence. For a heartbeat the room was quiet except for the sounds of hammering in the shop but it was broken when Gulley began to laugh loudly, slapping his knee in the process. 

“I like the kid, Rav! You definitely caught yourself a good one!”

His partner tried to glare at him but Link could see the pride hidden in those beautiful green eyes. His heart jumped and he gladly leaned in when he was pulled closer. Lips meeting, Link couldn’t stop smiling into the display of affection as arms wrapped around him possessively. 

“Fine, fine, I get it, you are a happy couple, congrats.” 

They broke apart and Ravio laughed, nudging their noses together before separating again.

“Are you two going to stay? Because I still have an appointment with an actual buying customer later today and I need to know if I should reschedule it.”

But Ravio shook his head, his expression softening immensely as he intertwined their hands. Link could see a hint of sadness and the slightly wavering voice only supported his suspicions. 

“No, I… I wanted to go visit mom and dad. I would like them to meet Link, you know?”

A sorrowful silence covered the room and Gulley only nodded. Something didn’t sit right but Link remained quiet. Whatever was going on, it was a pain shared by the two brothers and he didn’t want to intrude.

“Of course, if you need anything you can just come back, Rav. I’ll be here.”  
  


Nodding, the two travellers said their goodbyes before leaving the shop once again. Link didn’t say anything but when he squeezed the cold hand in his own, he was rewarded with a thankful smile. 

“Come on, Mr. Hero. I let them wait long enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dawn of the first day, 72 hours remain until this story reaches its official ending. 
> 
> Anyway, the boys are back together and nothing will separate them again. For now it's just Ravio introducing Link to the people he cared most about. The last chapters will be slower in pace again, and focus on the remaining loose strings and plot points that need to be resolved in order for them to have a good life. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	52. Nothing More...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After visiting the graveyard, Link and Ravio need to answer the unanswered question - Where do they go from here?

Link’s heart became heavy when he realized where they were heading. They had left the main streets of Castletown a long time ago and it was apparent where his friend was taking him. The crowd became thinner and thinner until they were some of the only ones around and several trees gave sight to a peaceful graveyard. He followed quietly as he was led through the different rows but Link could tell that Ravio wasn’t sure where to go exactly. Green eyes seemingly scanned gravestone after gravestone, looking for two familiar names. 

They eventually came to a stop in front of a big enough grave for two people. Ravio appeared so heartbroken that Link squeezed his hand in silent support. He watched as his friend cleared his throat, obviously trying to get rid of any emotions that prevented him from speaking up.

“Hey mom, hey dad.” 

And Goddess, his voice was so quiet. 

“I know it’s… it’s been quite a while since I last visited you in Kakariko… And I’m so sorry for disappearing without a note… It all happened so quickly and I thought I would only be gone for a couple of years, not…” he took a shaking breath and Link furrowed his brows in worry. “Not a whole century.”

Tugging at his partner’s arm, Link guided him to sit on the ground. He kept their hands intertwined in a small attempt at grounding the merchant, patiently waiting for Ravio to say whatever was burdening him.

“I met Gulley. He is doing fine, actually. I was surprised to see him still so energetic even with that age of his. But then again you were always the same, dad. No one could stop either of you when you two put your heart into something.” 

The Lolian chuckled. “I still remember the day mom and I were out grocery shopping and you were tasked with watching over Gulley. And when we came home you had crafted him a little sledge for the hill behind the house… Mom was so angry when she saw you two covered in dirt and bruises but Gulley had the time of his life.”

Link listened to the story and smiled softly to himself. He could remember neither his own childhood nor his parents but he could almost feel the love that Ravio was expressing for his family. It was only a faint memory but Link imagined that he had felt similar for the other champions that had once stood by his side. 

“A lot has happened since I disappeared that day... But I want you two to meet my partner. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him and… And I love him...” 

Their eyes met and Link could see the pride and affection in teary eyes. He carefully reached out and cupped Ravio’s cheek, pulling him closer so he could kiss a tear away. 

_ “It’s an honor to meet you two. My name is Link and I was fortunate enough to have been given your son as my companion. The Goddesses themselves have chosen him and he is every inch a hero as they had suspected.”  _

Ravio looked at him with such admiration that he couldn’t help but lean against his friend. He kissed the Lolian’s neck and smiled when an arm came to rest around his shoulder.

_ “I love your son and I promise that I will try everything in my power to make him the happiest man alive. He deserves the world…”  _

Their eyes met and Link finished his thought.

_ “Nothing more, nothing less.” _

* * *

The sun was already starting to set when the two reached a vacant house that Ravio had called his own. It wasn’t anything special, not too big but Link was surprised to see just how messy it actually was. Tools and materials were spread across the different tables and even a pile of neatly folded clothes was sitting in a corner. The walls were covered in unfinished rods and bows that differed in sizes and appearance. Whistling under his breath, Link couldn’t deny that an inventor was living here. He picked up a pair of weird looking goggles and put them on, a grin on his face when he noticed his friend’s amusement. He pushed the goggles onto his head and continued to look around and touch everything he could get his hands on. Bigger than usual bombs caught his attention though before he could reach out for one, a colder hand already wrapped around his wrist.

“I would like to keep my house and life so you better not touch them.”

Pouting slightly, Link sighed when his nose was kissed. He pointedly walked towards a messy shelf and looked at the different notes and drawings of what he recognized was the hookshot. 

“I know it’s pretty underwhelming but… welcome to my home?” Ravio opened his arms and showed the house off. “I usually switch between living here and at the castle, whatever seems more benefiting at the time.”

Link picked up an apron in the colors of his friend’s scarf and raised a brow.

_ “Did you become an inventor to keep up the family business?” _

He watched in amusement as his friend’s face reddened and Ravio smiled toothily, a hand coming up to rub his neck.

“Partially, I guess. I always had an interest in crafting and growing up in a family of blacksmiths only strengthened that hobby. I’m nowhere near as good as my father was, though. I still waste too much magic when I enhance my weapons… I probably should ask Gulley eventually how I can get the best quality with the least amount of waste.”

Link put the apron back onto the table and simply let his fingers trace another shelf. No matter how messy the house looked, Ravio’s personality could be found in every corner and this place was just so him that Link had to smile. Everything he had come to know of his friend was reflected in every doodle and placement of item.

Arms wrapped around his waist and Link instinctively leaned back into the embrace of his partner. He reached out to bury a hand in dark hair and when he tilted his head, he pulled Ravio into a lingering kiss. The Lolian hummed in satisfaction and they remained like that for a while, simply holding and kissing each other. Eventually the merchant nuzzled into his neck and Link sighed as small kisses were scattered across his skin.

“Hilda is going to be pissed because we didn’t return for dinner.” Ravio mumbled against his skin but the Hylian didn’t find himself minding too much. This was definitely worth the missed out food. He simply nodded and continued to massage his friend’s scalp when a beautiful chuckle reached his ears. 

“You’re right, she can wait until tomorrow. Tonight it’s only going to be us two.”

There was a small chirp from inside the scarf and Link snorted.

“Us  _ three. _ ” Ravio corrected himself and the Hylian could feel the grin against his neck. 

Turning around in the embrace, Link wrapped his arms around his partner. They simply looked at each other and even though he wanted to lose himself in the moment, there was still a question that Link itched to ask. He would give himself to Ravio but they first needed to talk. With a small sigh he took a step back.

Ravio didn’t seem surprised.

“We should probably address the elephant in the room.” 

Link nodded and they moved to sit on the bed, the only piece of furniture that wasn’t stacked with items. He allowed his friend to gather his thoughts before he began to sign.

_ “What are we going to do now?”  _

Ravio looked at him and shrugged his shoulders. “I will be honest, Link. When I was in Hyrule with you it was easy to forget how much I actually missed my home. But now that I’m here? Knowing that Hilda and Gulley are both around… I don’t know if I can leave them again.” 

He averted his gaze as his heart squeezed tightly. Link hadn’t expected any other answer but hearing it still hurt. Back then it had been so easy to forget just how special their circumstances had been but now they had to face the reality of their situation. 

In the end they were two people who should have never met in the first place and yet destiny had brought them together.

“And I know that you feel the same way about your friends. You’ve only just met Zelda again, and then there are all the other people we met and hold dear. It wouldn’t be fair to ask you to abandon all that just how I myself can’t let go of my kingdom.”

And Link understood. He truly did. It almost seemed like a horrible joke by the Goddesses to allow them to fall for each other only to tear them apart again. But Link remembered what Ravio had once told him. That they didn’t have to accept the roles that had been forced onto them and that first and foremost they were their own person with their own desires. No one could separate them if they truly stood up to themselves. They had already come so far, they could resist the Goddesses just one more time. 

_ “Your family is here in Lorule, mine is back in Hyrule. But I consider you as much my home as the building in Hateno. Nowhere would be complete without you, the past few days proved that.”  _

Ravio nodded and his green eyes were clouded with sadness. He furrowed his brows, trying to think of a way to solve their problem. There had to be a way to be together without giving up what they had found again. Reaching out to cup his partner’s cheek, Link suddenly stopped midair as his eyes landed on a gift from his dear friend.

The bracelet. 

His heart stopped for a moment. Could it be enough? They both have proven that it was possible to switch kingdoms but would those fissures continue to exist? 

Ravio seemed to notice the sudden shift in mood and his friend opened his mouth to say something but Link had already wrapped a hand around the Lolian’s wrist. Holding up the arm, the hero put his own hand next to it and waited for Ravio to connect the dots.

Green eyes widened.

“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”

Nodding excitedly, Link began to grin widely. Hope blossomed in his chest and it was a feeling he could almost get drunk on.

“Just so we’re clear… We are both thinking that we could use the bracelets to travel freely between our kingdoms, right? That we could spend a week in Hyrule together and then warp over here for a few days?”

He nodded once again and his own excitement began to be mirrored in his friend’s eyes. Hands reached for him and a moment later Link was pulled into a clumsy kiss. They were both laughing and there was so much warmth and love that the Hylian wondered whether he would drown in the future they had just envisioned. 

They might actually be able to pull it off.

“This could be our home, Link.” Ravio breathed onto his lips and the hero pulled back for a moment to look around. He tried to envision this mess of a house as their second home, imagined how they would spend their days here in between exploring Lorule and taking a break from Hyrule. Turning back to his friend, Link nodded enthusiastically as he kissed Ravio again. He climbed onto the Lolian’s lap and cupped the merchant’s face as arms came to rest on his hips. 

“I could build my own shop in Hyrule.” Ravio whispered in between kisses. “I could sell all my inventions and return magic to the land. And then I could forge and invent the items here. Maybe Gulley would allow me to work in his shop and I would share whatever I would earn.” 

Burying his fingers in dark hair, Link opened his eyes to meet dilated green. Ravio looked like a mess. He was panting against his lips, half lidded eyes focused on the Hylian and his hair looked like he had just used the tornado rod. Clothes were wrinkled and freckled cheeks were a bright red.

He had never looked better.

Link pushed his friend back onto the bed. Ravio followed the silent order obediently and the hero intertwined their hands before leaning down for another breathless kiss.

“You could become a cook.” Ravio whispered and Link rolled his eyes with amusement. His friend never knew when to shut up. “You could open up a little food place here or in Hyrule. Or you… you could work for Zelda if you wished to.” 

That caught him off guard. Stopping his attacks, Link pulled back in order to tilt his head in a silent question. He could feel the way his partner’s heart was racing but no matter the desire in those green eyes, Ravio still managed to look at him with adoration. “Not every day, mind you… But if you wanted to help her, say, for a few days each week I would wait for you at home. I know you can’t just sit by and let others do the work, Mr. Hero.” And the way he said that nickname caused a shiver to run down Link’s back. “If you left for the castle I could work here in Lorule, or maybe I would even accompany you from time to time… I know I have to share you but when we are here in Lorule?” Ravio stole a kiss. “When we are here, we can both be adventurers. I have never trailed off the assigned paths in the mire or ice mountains… We could even annoy the Zoras if we felt like risking our necks…” 

Link’s heart jumped at the idea of once again travelling with Ravio. Sure, he would love a calm and quiet life but the image of them exploring a new kingdom was exciting. 

_ “We could have both…”  _ Link realized.  _ “We could be merchants and occasionally work for the crown while also exploring the wild as adventurers. We wouldn’t have to choose.”  _

Ravio nodded when he reached out to wrap his arms around Link’s neck.

“We could have the best of both worlds… Tomorrow we will talk to Hilda about all this but for now…” 

Those half lidded eyes came to rest on his lips and Link only smirked as he leaned down again. He readjusted his position on his partner’s chest and a hand of his began to draw circles on the Lolian’s collarbone.

“For now let’s just enjoy each other.” 

And Link couldn’t agree more when their lips met not for the last time that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see two adorable doodles of Ravio, drawn by spiritsong!](https://spiritsong.tumblr.com/post/624758544340779008)
> 
> Dawn of the second day, 48 hours remain.
> 
> And here we go, the boys' solution to their interdimensional problem. It might seem like a weak solution but I didn't want to separate either of them from their families. I know a few people wanted Ravio to return to Hyrule with Link for good but that would have meant saying goodbye to Hilda and Gulley. In the end they decided to try and live in both worlds. Why choose if the fissure is still open?
> 
> The next chapter will be the official end of the story but I consider the epilogue the true ending! 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	53. ... Nothing Less

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio and Link discuss their new plans with Hilda, Ravio gets to prove himself something and together they leave for a new adventure.

Waking up to a comfortable weight on his chest and blond hair in his face, Ravio wondered whether he had died and ended up in paradise. If he had to guess it was probably around early noon and for a change he had woken up before his partner. Though then again Link had only just travelled to Lorule and who knows how long he had been searching for him before he had finally showed up in the garden.

A deep love rooted in his chest at the thought that Link had come this far just for him.

Carefully, as to not wake the Hylian, Ravio placed a soft kiss on his head as he tightened his arm around the other. This was what he had always wanted. Ravio had always loved his little naps spread out over the day but for the first time he had come to appreciate waking up. If this would be the sight he would be greeted with every morning maybe he would even wake up earlier just to listen to Link’s even breathing. 

The merchant didn’t know how long he had been lying there simply enjoying the warmth when a knock on the door finally pulled the hero out of his sleep. Sleepy blue eyes looked at him and Link cocked his head in an adoringly matter. Who knew that his lover could be that adorable? He pecked Link’s cheek before wiggling out from underneath him and Ravio almost fell flat on his face when he slipped on a pair of socks.

Someone, who preferably wouldn’t be him, really should organize this house.

The merchant opened the door only to be greeted by the sight of a knight. The man looked at him with a bored expression and Ravio leaned against the doorframe, raising a brow.

“Can I help you?”

The knight looked him up and down before speaking up. “Are you Ravio, the Hero of Lorule?” 

The Lolian smiled toothily and shrugged his shoulders. “Usually not before 1pm but yes, that would be me. Who asks?”

“Queen Hilda has expressed her worry when you didn’t attend dinner last night. I was sent to check up on your well being and to inform you that she wishes to talk to you urgently.” 

Flinching at that, Ravio couldn’t help but grimace. For a moment he even thought he saw pity in the man’s eyes. It always meant trouble when Hilda wanted to ‘just talk’. 

“Thanks, I guess… We are just peachy and please tell the queen that I’m old enough to stay out past curfew.”

The knight hesitated.

“Okay fine, please don’t tell her the last part. I would like to live another day.” 

They said their goodbyes and with a sigh Ravio closed the door, leaning his back against it. He looked over towards the bed and a loving smile decorated his lips as he saw Link sitting up, the shirt sliding down from one shoulder. His blond hair was messy but the tired smile he received could compete with the sun itself. He crossed the distance and sat down on the bed to kiss his partner’s forehead.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

_“Morning.”_ the Hylian signed back as he climbed out of the bed. However, he froze in his movement and Ravio noticed how his smile turned into a grin as those blue eyes lingered on his neck. For a moment the Lolian was confused but then his face began to heat up and a hand instinctively moved to cover up the little mark. 

“I need my scarf.” he quickly said and a snort could be heard as he struggled to put his clothes on. He wrapped the piece of cloth tighter around his neck than usual and Ravio made it a point to ignore the amused spark in the hero’s eyes.

“Come on, the castle isn’t too far away and if we’re lucky there’s enough breakfast left that we can scrounge from Hilda.” 

Watching his friend get dressed, Ravio called for Sheerow to join them. The bird had slept on top of the apron and it chirped tiredly as it landed on dark hair. Once they were good to go, Ravio intertwined their hands and they left his house. 

“So…” the merchant started as he lazily moved his thumb over Link’s hand. “Did Zelda make that bracelet for you?” His friend nodded and let go in order to reply. _“She had sensed the absence of your Triforce when you left for Lorule so we looked for a way for me to follow. I told her about your wall merging magic and with her own Triforce she granted me this bracelet and charged it so I could enter that weird fissure at the temple.”_

Ravio hummed in thoughts. “You went through a lot of trouble to come here… I’m sorry I caused you so many problems.” But his friend only shook his head. _“If you hadn’t left I might have never made it to Lorule. And it’s so different here, I’m happy that I followed you.”_

Link smiled brightly. _“I would wrestle a Lynel for you, travelling between worlds is the least I could do after everything you went through for our home.”_

Snorting, Ravio pushed the Hylian away in a playful manner. “Oh please, you would wrestle a Lynel just for the kick of it, don’t try and mask it with chivalry.”

The hero didn’t even try to defend himself.

The walk to the castle was a quiet one. They navigated their ways through the crowds of Castletown and once they had reached the castle, the guards reluctantly moved aside for them. Ravio noticed the way they silently glared at his partner and Link only sent them a sweet and innocent smile as they passed by.

“What was that about?” the Lolian whispered and his friend snorted.

_“They were part of the knights that tried to catch me for half an hour or so yesterday. Too bad they had heavy armor on and I knew how to dodge them. You should probably talk to the queen about changing their defense system if I can sneak in that easily.”_

Chuckling under his breath, Ravio only shook his head as he wrapped an arm around Link’s shoulder. The Hylian reached up to hold onto his hand and they intertwined their fingers. 

“Don’t tell anyone but I love that you just… walked in here barefoot and yet no one managed to just get a grip on you… You didn’t use weapons against them, did you?” 

But Link shook his head dutifully. 

“That makes it even better.” 

They reached the kitchen and Ravio scanned the counters for whatever he felt like eating. There was some fish left, meat skewers, vegetables, and even omelettes. Licking his lips, the Lolian noticed the odd looks given by the working maidens and he cleared his throat as he puffed his chest out. 

“It is I, the Hero of Lorule!” His voice was deeper as he showed off the Triforce, causing the women to gasp. “My partner and I have a long and important day before us and we wish to strengthen ourselves with your perfectly cooked breakfast! A hero cannot discuss business and the saving of our kingdom on an empty stomach.” 

The maidens only nodded and Ravio watched as they began to set a table for two. Different plates with a variety of food were placed onto a table and once they were done, they bowed low and left the room. Once the door was closed, Link turned towards him and raised a brow.

_“What happened to being a normal merchant?”_

Grinning from ear to ear, Ravio made it a point to pull a chair back for his friend to sit down on. He helped the Hylian before moving over to another chair.

“You see, a good merchant knows when to save rupees. And using my status as a hero to get free food? That’s a mastery strategy to keep our wealth.” 

His expression softened and Ravio lightly poked the omelette as he took a deep breath. When he next looked up, his smile was insecure and his emotions exposed. “Besides, I… I just wanted to know what it feels like… To be looked at with awe and respect, you know? In Hyrule you were remembered as champion and hero and they treated you as such and… And when I think back to Kakariko…” He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just nice not to be at the end of a joke for once or to be looked down upon because I couldn’t draw a sword… No one dares to push me aside, at least for now.”  
  


Smiling toothily, Ravio waved it off. “But enough about that. How about we talk about the more pressing matters at hand?” 

He could see that Link still looked bothered by what he had just said but Ravio didn’t want to ruin the lightheartedness with which their day had started. The Lolian pointed at a plate with the last salmon and green narrowed.

“There is one fish but we are two people. One of us is going to feel the shame of a loss while the other will bathe in victory and the sweet taste of salmon. Now, how do you suggest we determine the winner of the century?”

His partner’s worried expression shifted into a more playful one and Ravio allowed himself to relax. However, his relief was only short lived as Link placed his arm onto the table, a hand pointing at him.

He quickly shook his head.

“If you think I’m actually going to arm wrestle you then you can forget it immediately.” Ravio pulled his sleeve back and showed off his arm. “Look at me! I’m fragile and I have to be treated with care! You got muscles from all that sword training but I’m a delicate flower!”

Link snorted and made a gesture for him to come up with an idea instead. 

“How about…” 

But before he could come up with a way to scam the hero, the door to the kitchen opened, revealing an angry looking Hilda. Sure, she might have shrunken down with age but Ravio still winced when she stormed over to them. Quickly grabbing his glass of water, the Lolian slid down his chair as he slowly drank, trying to push off the moment he would have to explain himself.

_“Good morning, Your Majesty.”_ Link signed with a sweet smile and the hero hated that his two friends already got along. 

“Good morning, Link.” Her voice sounded sharp but it was definitely directed at him. Still swallowing the tasteless water, Ravio flinched when nails came down to impatiently tap the table. Dreadful seconds passed and the merchant was finally forced to put the empty glass away.

“Oh, hey! I didn’t see you there, Hildy! Did you do something with your hair?”

The woman only rolled her eyes as she sat down on a chair, pulling the plate of salmon towards her. Ravio almost spoke up but he knew better than to say anything challenging. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“I know I had agreed to being back in the evening, it was just…”

“I’m not mad, Rav.” And the soft tone to her voice actually shut him up. He looked at his friend when he noticed that one of Hilda’s hands was slightly shaking. “I was just… worried. When you didn’t come back I thought that you had just…”

“Left again?” Ravio finished and he saw his friend nod. “Oh, Hildy…” He reached out and took her hand into his own and she appeared so weak, so exhausted from life and the burdens on her shoulders. It was easy to act as if they were still the same as a century ago but Hilda had changed as much as he had. 

He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. 

“This is actually something that Link and I would like to talk to you about.” Looking over the table, Ravio waited for his friend’s permission before continuing. “Last night the two of us might have thought of a way for us to live both in Hyrule and Lorule.” 

The queen looked up and Ravio hated seeing unshed tears in her usually strong red eyes. “Link has family in Hyrule and I can’t abandon you and Gulley. But we wondered if it was possible to keep the fissure between worlds open. Clearly both Lolians and Hylians aren’t aware of each other, the kingdoms are simply legend materials that are almost forgotten. So we wanted to ask you, and your daughter, if you would allow us to keep the crack between our kingdoms open…”

Wrapping both hands around Hilda’s, Ravio looked at her with both hope and desperation. “If the connection between our worlds stays open then Link and I can live in both kingdoms. We could stay a week in Hyrule and then come to Lorule for a few days.”

“I know it’s incredibly selfish to ask for this. We would expect you and Zelda to leave open a portal but Link and I are the only ones in possession of the necessary items and magic to do this trick.”

“We played the game of the Goddesses. We followed the rules, we defeated Calamity Ganon and saved both Hyrule and Lorule. It’s a lot to ask for but please… We don’t just want to be the chosen heroes with a forced destiny, we want to decide the rest of our lives ourselves. So I’m asking you, Hilda… Not as your hero… or your advisor… I’m asking you as your brother… Please don’t make me choose between my family and my love.”

The kitchen was quiet for several heartbeats. Ravio took a shaking breath as he wiped a few tears away and he could see that Link was just as emotional as him. When the Hylian reached out for him, Ravio closed the distance so their hands could meet. They intertwined their fingers and his hand was squeezed in silent support. 

“Okay.”

His breath hitched.

“Okay?” the merchant repeated, not yet daring to hope. But when Hilda looked at him there was so much affection and unconditional love in her eyes. She smiled and moved a thumb over his hand. 

“Lolia took you from me once before and now you are asking me to give you permission to stay in Lorule and be happy. How could I say anything but yes?” 

Hilda reached out for Link and the Hylian took her offered hand, creating a small triangle. 

“I’ve always known you were never truly happy here in the castle, Rav. You stayed by my side because you were that selfless and then you even agreed to that unknown mission. You have dedicated your life to Lorule on the cost of your own well-being. Even when you had finally returned you weren’t happy.”

Her gaze wandered towards the hero. “But since Link has appeared you have been smiling without end. Your laughter finally fills the castle again, you are back to your silly self and there is just so much joy radiating from you. You look healthier, you are comfortable in your own skin… And now you are asking me if I can give you a reason to return to my side from time to time without the price being your happiness?”

The queen snorted and let go of their hands in order to lightly smack his arm. “My answer is yes, you idiot. I will have to talk to my daughter about this but she won’t have a problem with it. As long as you can get princess Zelda’s permission there shall be no hindrance coming from our side. I, queen Hilda of Lorule, have heard your plea and I will do anything in my power to keep the fissures between worlds up. However, in return I simply ask you not to run your loose mouth and tell everyone about our home. The less people are aware of our kingdoms the smaller the potential danger for either of us.”

Pushing himself off the chair, Ravio laughed as he wrapped his arms around his sister’s neck. He was grinning from ear to ear as a warmth filled his chest and he wanted to scream, wanted to run, wanted to celebrate. There was no way that Zelda would refuse them if Link asked her and that meant that their shared future was finally in reach. All their dreams and fantasies of living together had become reality and Ravio’s thoughts were running with ideas for both their homes. 

The merchant was pulled out of his thoughts as a warm hand came to rest on his shoulder and a moment later Link joined their hug. He could see tears in blue eyes and not being able to stop himself, Ravio leaned in for a kiss. It was only a quick one but it expressed enough of their shared emotions.

They could finally be together.

* * *

Walking through the garden, Ravio hummed to himself as his arms were interlocked with both Link’s and Hilda’s. They had no idea why he was leading them back to the pedestal of the Master Sword and the Lolian had made sure to keep his mouth shut. Both his friends carried their assigned blades and once he had reached his destination, he let go of the other two. The merchant moved to stand on the pedestal and looked around, remembering the last time he had been here. 

His eyes came to rest on Hilda’s sword.

“Today Link and I will return to Hyrule and talk to Zelda about our future.” Ravio announced, making a show out of his little idea. “But before we leave there is something that I want to do.”

He walked off the stoney ground and stopped before Hilda. Taking a deep breath, he bowed as low as he could, green focused on the Master Sword hanging from her belt.

“Many years ago I tried to draw the Master Sword of Lorule and many years ago I was denied what had been supposed to be my birthright. For a long time I was bitter and frustrated because I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t been good enough.” His expression turned into a soft smile and a hand moved to rest on the bow on his back. “But I have realized that my self worth was not determined by a blade’s judgement over me. It took me a long time but two close friends told me that my hands were not meant to harm but to reach out.”

Ravio remained bowed down and he stretched his hand out in a silent question. “Just this once… May I have this dance, oh blade of evil’s bane?”

And to the surprise of everyone, the sheathed sword glowed a faint purple. Hilda’s eyes widened as she hesitantly removed the sheath from her belt and a moment later an unfamiliar weight rested in his hands. Ravio wrapped his fingers around the weapon and when he straightened his back, the glow became stronger. With a deep breath he took hold of the hilt and drew the blade he had used to despise. He raised it heavensward and simply admired its beauty before pointing the blade at Link.

“Hero of Hyrule, please accept my humble request of a fight.”

His heart was surprisingly calm and Ravio watched as blue eyes widened first before turning sharp. Link smiled at him with a fondness and pride he couldn’t hope to fully understand and a moment later his partner bowed down in front of him before drawing his own Master Sword.

The two heroes walked deeper into the garden where they would have enough space to fight. Ravio watched as the Hylian swirled the sword in his hand like it was second nature to him. And to a certain degree it was, Link and his blade had been destined for each other. Tightening his hold on his own blade, Ravio felt an unknown energy wrap around his hand in a comforting squeeze. They circled each other for a moment and came to a stop.

Their swords touched in a silent display of respect before both got into position, eyes never leaving each other. For a moment the two partners simply stared but when a leaf touched the ground, Link began to move.

He was incredibly fast, Ravio noticed. With the lack of shield there was no way to dodge but to raise his own sword and the sound that the clashing blades caused echoed through the silent nature. The Lolian gritted his teeth as he pushed back against the pure strength of his opponent and when he couldn’t fight back anymore, he redirected Link’s own force to the ground. He knew that he was at a disadvantage in any way but Ravio possessed a dancing fluency to his moves that Link was lacking. There was no way he could win in a simple sword fight but Ravio had known for a while now that he could tackle things differently. Instead of following the techniques he had been forced to learn at a young age, Ravio wielded his sword like one of his rods. He dodged and rolled out of the way of Link’s raining attacks, making sure that he would stay as long as he could in the Hylian’s blind spots. 

Going in for a counter attack, ravio hissed when he noticed a spark in blue. Link shifted his weight and a moment later their blades clashed, both their faces only inches away. There was a predatorily excitement in his friend’s eyes but Ravio knew that his own face showed the same expression. The adrenaline rush caused his head to be empty and the Lolian grinned while his breath was uneven. A small part of him knew that Link was going easy on him but he didn’t mind at all.

Link was the first to back off but he didn’t give Ravio any time to catch his breath. Not even a second later the Hylian attacked him yet again but this time the merchant was too slow to react. He yelped when the hylian Master Sword swirled around his own and with enough force the blade was pushed out of his hands just as a foot kicked him off his legs. With a cry Ravio fell onto his back and a weight came to rest on him as Link placed a knee on his chest, the sword already dangerously close to his throat. He swallowed nervously as his head was spinning but all the merchant could focus on was the hero on top of him and those narrowed blue eyes that gave no hint of mercy. For several heartbeats they stayed like that - with Ravio on the ground and Link leaning over him, blade at his throat. They were panting, their hair and clothes messy and Ravio shivered when the weapon was pushed closer. 

But he didn’t tense up. 

Green eyes were unwavering as he even pressed back up against the blade. It was his way of showing his unconditional trust and a second later he was rewarded with hot lips against his own as the sword disappeared from his sight. Ravio whimpered into the kiss but Link only deepened it, reassuring him that he wouldn’t just pull away. His hands blindly found their way into blond hair and the Lolian smiled when the hero gasped at the sudden sensation.

“I lost.” Ravio mumbled into the kiss “Guess I’m at your mercy now, Mr. Hero.” He received a small snort and they only separated to look into each other’s eyes. The love he recognized in gorgeous blue reminded him of the butterflies in his chest and Ravio giggled when their noses were rubbed together in affection.

“I love you.” 

And as always the answer was breathed onto his lips. _“I love you too.”_

Link moved away from him and even though the merchant was already missing the warmth, he still took the offered hand as the Hylian helped him back up. They intertwined their fingers and picked the swords back up.

“You guys really have to get out of that honeymoon state.” Hilda remarked as Ravio returned the Master Sword to her. His face was flushed red and it only worsened when Link grinned and nuzzled into his shoulder. 

“Come on, Hildy, at this point we are just grossly cute to annoy you.” 

She rolled her eyes but Ravio still caught a glance of her loving smile. His best friend had truly gotten soft over the past century. 

“I allowed myself to prepare two bags for your journey. It might only be a short one but I still want you to have food and drinks. Link, would you be so kind to go and fetch them? They should be inside the kitchen.” 

The Hylian cocked his head but nodded dutifully. His hand was squeezed and Ravio watched as his friend went to fetch their equipment. Seconds passed until they were alone and he raised a brow at his sister. 

“What is this about?” He asked and motioned towards where Link had disappeared. Hilda, however, ignored him as she took his hand into her own, her expression a serious but kind one. His heart began to speed up and Ravio furrowed his brows but remained quiet.

“I don’t know how long it will take you to gather the courage needed to ask but make sure that you don’t wait too long. I’m not getting younger and I want to be by your side.”

Ravio didn’t understand immediately but his breath hitched when Hilda placed a small item into his hand. 

“What you managed to find is extremely rare, Ravio. Treasure him and I’m sure he will make you the happiest man alive…” 

The queen smiled as she cupped one of his cheeks. “And if he dares to hurt you I will invade Hyrule myself and not even a Calamity Ganon could hope to compete with my wrath.” 

Leaning into the touch, Ravio returned the kind smile as he closed his hand around the gift.

“I love you, Hilda. And this time it won’t be a goodbye. I promise.”

“You better.” She laughed and when Link appeared in the hallway, two bags in his hand, the queen lightly pushed him into the Hylian’s direction. 

“I will see you around, Rav.”

The Lolian ran towards his friend and accepted a bag before intertwining their hands. Link was about to walk away when Ravio pulled him back. His friend was confused for a moment but then a hand wrapped around his neck as the merchant’s arm rested on the other’s waist. 

“I love you so much, Link.” 

The kiss was a soft one and when they parted, the two heroes smiled at each other.

“Let’s go home.”

Leaving the castle hand in hand, Ravio took in the warmth of the sun. He allowed himself a moment to simply exist and when Link started to pull him by his arm, the Lolian laughed as he struggled to keep up with his partner’s excitement. They started running into the direction of the Temple of Time and Ravio didn’t pay attention to any travellers that looked at them. No, all he could focus on was the warm hand in his own, the brilliant smile of his partner and those endless blue eyes he had first fallen in love with. 

Today marked the first day of the rest of their lives.

Tomorrow they would be a simple merchant and adventurer.

And forever they would be together.

  
  


Nothing more, nothing less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is, the last official chapter of this story. What follows now will be an epilogue and 2 bonus stories that didn't fit into the fic or the epilogue. 
> 
> [If anyone is interested in seeing how I "planned" this story, click here. Anything that isn't written down on this map was made up along the way and improvised when I needed it... Which is almost everything. ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/0770af156fccd322aee58a9e9b7a5e08/2187090b77ff1540-c0/s1280x1920/e8425e8ec0ed901d7098ace0e07f1aeb6f143364.png)
> 
> Well, what is there to say about today's chapter? I wanted to end the fic in the same way I started it - With Ravio setting out to visit Hyrule. I also wanted to give him the chance of closing the chapter regarding his own Master Sword. He will always hold his bow dear but now he knows that he is worthy of his own blade.
> 
> I will use the epilogue to talk about my experience regarding those past two months but for now I simply want to thank all of you. I also got a question just out of pure curiosity: 
> 
> Did you have a favourite chapter or arc and if so what was it?
> 
> Personally, I enjoyed the lost woods, the yiga arc, and chapter 40 with its harp scene a lot.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	54. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5 years later.

Listening to Sheerow’s singing, Ravio wiped the sweat off his forehead as he grinned from ear to ear. He was humming alongside his feathery friend and when he put the heated blade into a bucket of cold water, he was rewarded with the satisfied sizzling noise of metal cooling down. 

“That’s enough for today, buddy.”

He took off his dirty gloves and hung the leathery apron on the wall as the fire was extinguished. The Lolian left the backroom leading to his forge as he reentered the shop. Walls were covered both in weapons and magical objects, each one with a small bunny carved into its material. He counted the earnings of the day and when Ravio was done, he reached for the two rings next to his scarf. One carried the insignia of Hyrule’s royal family while the other displayed the emblem of Lorule. They were put onto his ring finger and once done, the merchant wrapped the scarf around his neck.

“Time to go home, ‘Row!”

The small ‘open’ sign at the door was turned around and he locked the door just as a voice spoke up behind him.

“Closing that early, Ravio?”

Turning around, he was greeted by the sight of Sophie, the owner of the local armor shop. The Lolian sent her a brilliant smile as the key disappeared into his pocket.

“Yep! Link and I are visiting my family today and we didn’t want to arrive in the middle of the night. It’s a big day in my hometown.”

She hummed and readjusted her hold on a basket as she continued to walk past him. “Well, have fun you two! And tell Link my thanks again for his help last week! My shop would have been a mess if he hadn’t been around for those Bokoblins!”

“Will do!” Ravio assured her as he walked into the opposite direction. The sun was still high and he took a deep breath as he strolled through the busy streets of Hateno Village, simply enjoying the nice day when their house appeared on the horizon. He was quick to cross the little bridge leading up to their home and when he entered, Ravio couldn’t help but pout. 

“You think he forgot about today?” 

Sheerow chirped as it landed on a wrapped gift that he had placed on the table the night before. 

“You’re right, he’s just being late again.”

Ravio used the spare time to change out of his working clothes and into a familiar purple tunic with bunny ears stitched to its back. He rewrapped his scarf and once he was satisfied with his appearance, he began to pack their bags. 

Half an hour later the door opened and Ravio was greeted by a sight he would never get used to.

Link looked as gorgeous as always. The royal knight outfit fit him perfectly and his long hair had been tamed by a small hat to match the clothes. He carried himself with an unwavering confidence but once their eyes met his stoic expression morphed into a bright grin. 

“Welcome home, Mr. Hero.” Ravio laughed when the other man already fell into his arms. Greedy lips met his and they took a few minutes simply enjoying their reunion. Link had been gone for three days and the Lolian couldn’t deny that he had missed the hero.

“Go and change into something more comfortable, I already packed our bags.”

One more kiss was stolen from him as Link nodded excitedly. He began to strip and Ravio used the moment to grab the gift from the table. His heart began to race but the merchant pushed it away.

_“What’s that?”_ Link asked and Ravio could see the curiosity in his eyes. Well, no going back now. Pushing the present into his partner’s hands, the merchant quickly looked away as it was being unwrapped.

“I know our anniversary was a month ago but you know what they say, quality takes its time…” Laughing nervously, Ravio rubbed his neck. “Also Hilda is a perfectionist and she wouldn’t accept anything but the best so I struggled finishing it but… yeah…”

Link was holding a scarf in his hands that resembled his own. However, instead of being blue and black, its colors were green and yellow. Ravio felt a blush creep up his shoulders and he tried to wave it off. “I knitted it myself but… I’m sorry it wasn’t done earlier…” 

Wide blue stared at him and a moment later he was pulled into another kiss. It was clumsy and sloppy but he could feel the smile against his lips.

_“It’s beautiful.”_ Link signed and there was so much affection in his eyes that Ravio couldn’t help but believe him. He gently took the scarf from the Hylian’s hands and wrapped it around the other’s neck. 

“Now we match.” Ravio whispered as their hands were intertwined. They separated reluctantly when it was apparent that they needed to leave and the Lolian caught the bag that was thrown at him. He readjusted the bracelet around his wrist and nodded at the silent question whether he was ready to leave. They locked the door and Spot was already awaiting them eagerly. The two heroes mounted the horse and took off into the direction of a hidden fissure.

“And you definitely have the masks?” Ravio called over the wind as he held onto his friend’s waist. Link simply nodded and patted the slate hanging from his belt. Resting his head against the hero’s shoulder, Ravio closed his eyes as he enjoyed the way the wind ran its invisible fingers through his hair. 

He loved Hateno and Hyrule but he couldn’t wait to be back in his own Kakariko. After all, the festival was only once a year.

* * *

Kakariko Village was decorated from head to toe. Everywhere he looked the buildings and trees were covered in colorful cloths and walls had been painted to accompany this year’s festival of the beast. They had already bought some sweets in the form of monsters and Link was currently biting off the head of a Hinox bread as they walked through the busy streets of the little town. The clock tower in the center was counting down the hours until midnight and Ravio felt like he was a small kid again as the excitement rushed through his body. 

The past few weeks had been busy for both of them. Link had been forced to spend more time at the castle because more and more monsters had shown up to attack the newly built Castletown. He and Zelda were doing their best to return Hyrule to its old glory but even with Calamity Ganon gone it was a lot of work to rebuild what had once been destroyed. 

It was hard to believe that 5 years had already passed since their victory. 

Ravio had since then spent most of his time in either Hateno Village or Lorule’s Castletown. He usually switched between the two towns several times a week, depending on his need to sell or invent. It had been ridiculously easy to convince Bolson to build a small shop for him in Hateno and Gulley had thrown almost all of the leading positions at him the moment Ravio had suggested working together. It was a lot to juggle when you were basically the owner of two shops in two different worlds but his little glowing companion helped him whenever the stress was becoming too much. Besides, Ravio loved his work. The first time he had introduced his magical items to the citizens of Hyrule had been a sight to behold. Who would have known that a little fire show and creation of ice would be enough to have his doors almost run down by willing customers. However, while he kept a careful list of everyone who had purchased a rod, Ravio had noticed that most farmers and villagers were more interested in his enhanced weapons. Sledgehammers that wouldn’t break and scythes that could create gales of wind that cut through a bigger area of grass were his top sellers and Ravio enjoyed forging items that could help others in their everyday life. 

But no matter how busy their lives would be at times, every month Ravio and Link would take a week off to travel to Lorule and simply explore. Sometimes they would attempt to reach the top of the icy mountains, sometimes they would simply spend their days lazing around at home and messing around with magical items in their backyard. After the first year of trial and error the two heroes had found a nice balance between business and fun, between responsibilities and dreams. 

The day Zelda and Hilda had met for the first time had been an anxious one. The idea had come from Zelda herself and just like Link she had been excited to travel to another world even if it had only been for a few days. Ravio still remembered how nervous he had been. And who could have blamed him? Zelda was a lively scholar who loved to investigate and analyze while Hilda had had the loving attitude of a porcupine. But opposites attracted and the two women had quickly become friends much to the embarrassment of Ravio. Zelda had been so excited to meet a queen who could wield the Master Sword and Hilda hadn’t spared him a moment to escape before sharing all the embarrassing stories in which she had been forced to save his sorry ass. Back then Ravio had hidden himself in Link’s shoulder but even his traitorous companion had snorted at her stories. 

The remaining hours went by in a heartbeat after the sun had already set. The later it became, the more villagers began to gather on the big plaza and Ravio watched with a small smile as a group of kids ran excitedly past them, screaming and yelling at their parents to hurry up. Arms wrapped around his waist from behind and he leaned back against the warm chest as a head came to rest on his shoulders. 

“You think we would make good parents?” 

He felt blue eyes on him but Ravio continued to watch the kids running around and playing tag as a pair of adults desperately tried to catch them all. His partner nuzzled into his neck and the Lolian felt a few light kisses on his skin. 

“Not yet, of course… But in the future?” 

_“Would you knit them tiny socks?”_ Link signed in front of his chest and Ravio grinned as he moved his nose against the Hylian’s cheek. “Itty-bitty tiny socks. Mostly because I wouldn’t be able to make anything more complex than that.” 

His partner snorted as they held each other. _“Yes, to answer your question. I think we would make good parents.”_

“I do too.” Ravio said and they watched as the elders stepped onto the little stage that had been built for the event. The merchant didn’t really pay attention to whatever was being said, it was the same speech every year and he could already recite it anyway. 

“For the next three days we shall celebrate, we shall dance, and we shall remember those who have lost themselves to their inner darkness! But do not be afraid for we stand tall even in the darkest night! Cover yourself and find your inner light!”

The crowd around them began to cheer and Link let go of him to reach for his slate.

“It is now time to don the masks of the beasts!”

There was a small flash of blue as Link revealed the masks he himself had carved for the two of them. Both resembled the heads of dragons though one had a lion like mane and had been painted blue while the other was green with a small horn. Ravio couldn’t help but smile when he recognized them as Naydra and Farosh. Since the reconstruction of Hyrule had begun Link had encountered the green dragon many times and it had quickly become his favourite. 

Taking the blue dragon mask from his companion, Ravio stole a lingering kiss. “Time to become beasts.” They both put their masks on and the Lolian was reminded of his rabbit one. Since they had moved in together he had put it on the wall in remembrance of their little adventure.

“May the festival begin!”

Ravio cheered alongside the crowd as he was already dragging the hero towards the dancing floor. The elders on the stage had made room for the band and the market quickly filled with bodies moving to the songs. The guitarist and flutist were usually hanging around in the milk bar but for the next few days they would entertain the villagers to dance until their feet hurt. 

Spinning Link once, the Lolian laughed as he pulled the other close to his chest. Over the past few years he had made it his mission to teach Link as many dances as he knew and after countless accidents of squashed feet the Hylian had finally gotten the hang of it. Even though their eyes were hidden Ravio could see the grin on his companion’s face as they danced in the center of everyone, clearly showing off their hard work and choreography. 

They danced until the end of the night, holding each other close as the sun began to rise once again.

* * *

Laying in the grass of their backyard, Ravio absently played with blond hair. Link’s head was resting on his chest and they simply stared into the afternoon sky as the clouds passed by. It was one of the lazier days and after the exciting days of the festival they had decided that they could take a break from being productive. 

The sun was covering their bodies in a comfortable warmth and bees went along their days all around them. Ravio wasn’t sure whether the Hylian had fallen asleep again but he continued to run his fingers through his partner’s hair. 

“Hey, Link?” he whispered and there was some movement as the hero shifted to look at him. Link’s expression was relaxed and he cocked his head as those beautiful blue eyes glowed in the sun’s light.

“You know… For a long time, I believed that if you put your ear to the ground, you’d hear the world’s heart beating… That the world just goes on living, whether you were there or not…” He smiled and awkwardly shrugged his shoulders as his friend furrowed his brows. “Weird, right? And I guess sorta sad…” 

His hand stopped and for a moment Ravio closed his eyes as he listened to the silence around them. “So while we’ve been laying here, I’ve been listening for a while… And you know the only heart I’ve heard?”

Link pushed himself onto his elbow so he had a better view at him and after a moment a warm hand came to rest on the Lolian’s chest. Ravio nodded with a smile. “Exactly, mine! I couldn’t be happier!”

Wrapping his arms around his partner’s waist, Ravio pulled the hero on top of him. He laughed at the surprised expression but when Link nudged their noses together, green eyes once again focused on gorgeous blue. Hands came to rest on his cheeks and Ravio could feel the cold metal of two rings against his skin. 

_“I love you.”_ Link mouthed and Ravio felt his heart flutter just like the first time they had spoken those three magical words.

“I love you too.” 

They closed the distance and the kiss they shared was filled with every emotion they couldn’t express. It was sweet and loving, desperate and yet lazy, and a summary of the love they had come to feel for each other.

They had once been the heroes of Hyrule and Lorule.

They had once been the restless travellers that had found several homes to call their own.

They had once been an adventurer and merchant.

  
  


But first and foremost they were a married couple still at the very beginning of the rest of their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About this chapter: It takes place 5 years after the end of the fic. Ravio and Link got married twice, both in Hyrule and Lorule. It’s the reason why both wear two rings, Zelda and Hilda wanted to marry them so might as well make it official in both their kingdoms. Even if it was only a small scene, I still wanted to bring up the festival of the beast again. Link and Ravio also found a nice balance between work and adventure, and it became normal for them to switch between worlds. They are doing fine and they only carry as much responsibility as they wish to. I think they managed to find their happy ending.
> 
> And speaking of happy ending. These past two months have been incredible. I want to write so many meaningful things but in the end I just find my head empty. After all, what is one supposed to say after weeks of constant support and a daily routine which will now finally end? I’m quite emotional. I wrote this story in six weeks and as I have once stated, I didn’t think I would even hit 1k hits. But now look at where we are: over 500 comments and almost 10k hits. For whatever reason this has turned into something so much bigger than I had ever anticipated. 
> 
> I don’t know what I did to keep you all around. There are so many plot points and locations that I left out, so much that I made up along the way, ignoring the possibility of it biting a scene from a previous chapter. This whole journey had started with the idea of Ravio meeting Naydra and it became just so much more. This fic has a special place in my heart and sharing it with you all has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 
> 
> I want to thank you all. It’s only thanks to every single reader, commenter, artist, and friend that these past two months have been incredible. I was shown so much kindness and joy like never before and I’m sad that it’s all over now. I looked forward to every tomorrow, I burned every comment into my heart and talking to you guys had been the highlight of many days. 
> 
> Thank you. Thank you for making this story so special. Thank you for reading through so many chapters. Thank you for making it to the end. Thank you for the immense support and love. Thank you for sticking with me through it all. 
> 
> Take good care of yourselves, and please know that you all made these two months not only bearable but amazing. I owe you.
> 
> I’m going to miss you. I’m going to miss this. 
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	55. Bonus 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravio asks the question.

Walking up and down the Eagus Bridge, Ravio quietly groaned under his breath. He was fiddling around with the hem of his tunic and he kept on throwing glances over his shoulder towards the hideout of the two queens. Hilda and Zelda had insisted on him going full out and back then it had truly sounded like a great idea but now that he was actually here, he wanted nothing more than to run away. 

Sure, it had been his suggestion in the first place but nobody cared about the details. He would continue to blame the queens anyway.

“Guys, I think this was a stupid idea, maybe we should just rethink our lives and come to the conclusion that the stars are not aligned for this kind of event so I suggest we go home and grab a nice cup of tea and forget that any of this even happe—”

Before he could regret even showing up, the sounds of an approaching horse caught his attention. Ravio winced when he could see Spot approaching and he mumbled a curse under his breath. When he looked towards the wall of rocks he could see a single thumbs up before he was left to himself.

“I can’t believe they talked me into this.”

Spot came to a stop and Ravio anxiously watched as Link jumped off its back. He was wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of dark pants. His hair was messy and if the Lolian had to guess he would say that his friend had left their home the moment he had found the note asking him to come here. His hand moved to a pocket and Ravio clung to the little box that contained the ring that Hilda had given him two years ago.

“H-Hey there, Mr. Hero! Fancy meeting you here!”

The Hylian raised a brow and showed off the piece of paper before placing a hand on his hip. _“You asked me to come here, of course I’d show up.”_

Ravio couldn’t help but smile at that. No matter how cryptic or suspicious he would act, the hero would always trust him blindly. It was something he had truly come to appreciate over their shared journey. 

“Right, right. You’re right… I guess I did leave a note, huh?” Rubbing the back of his neck, the Lolian bit his lip as a warmth crept up his shoulders. Goddess, he hadn’t been this nervous since forever. With a shaking breath he stepped closer and took Link’s hands into his own, squeezing them tightly. He could see the confusion and worry in beautiful blue eyes but Ravio shook his head. 

It was now or never.

“You know, Link, I spent endless nights thinking about this moment. I had considered writing something like an aspiring speech about our heroic journey and how we had grown closer after we had faced evil over and over again. I had wanted to summarize everything we had gone through, and I wanted to finish it up with some meaningful words that would stick with us until forever…” His eyes softened and he shook his head as he chuckled.

“But now look at us… We are back where it had all started, where you had first saved me and where I had first experienced the kindness that you would continue to show me many times following that fateful day.” 

He raised a warm hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles, his eyes never leaving that beautiful blue that he had first fallen in love with.

“There isn’t anything I could say now that wouldn’t be a repetition of what I have already told you at least once before. So… instead of boring you with something we have experienced before I only want to ask you one thing…” 

Keeping a hold on the hand, Ravio took a shaking breath as he lowered himself to one knee. Link’s eyes widened and those gentle fingers twitched as if he was going to say something but the Lolian quickly shook his head. 

“I want you to know that I loved every second that I was allowed to spend by your side. You were my friend, my hero, my companion, and my lover. But I want you to be even more than that.”

His friend’s breath hitched and Ravio pushed on.

“When the sun sets today I want to hold and kiss you. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and I…”

“I want to call you my husband…” Ravio finished and he pulled out the small box, revealing a ring with the emblem of the royal family of Lorule. 

“Link, would you please marry me?”

There were lips on his and hands on his cheeks. Ravio blinked dumbfoundedly but he quickly melted into the affection, wrapping his arms around his partner’s neck as they deepened the kiss. There was a desperation in the way Link pushed himself against him but Ravio could feel a smile against his own lips. They held each other for another minute and when they separated, they were panting. Blue eyes were blurry with tears and Ravio swallowed the lump of emotions as he furrowed his brows.

“Is that a yes? You didn’t say yes, oh Goddess please say yes or I will jump off this bridge so I can drown myself in embarrassment because Hilda will never let me live this down if you say no and I didn’t prepare for this so please just end me right here and save me from the humiliation.”

The Hylian snorted loudly and pulled him into another needy kiss before truly kneeling down as well. Ravio whined when the hero pulled away but he watched through half lidded eyes as Link struggled with a pocket of his. A moment later he pulled out a small box himself and opened it.

It was a ring.

Ravio watched in stunned silence as Link took a hand into his own to push the golden ring onto his finger.

_“I will marry you if you will marry me.”_

Staring at the promise on his hand, Ravio too began to tear up. He clumsily took the silver ring out of his box and pushed it onto Link’s finger before intertwining their hands. Not a second later those lips were back on his and green eyes fluttered close, even when he could hear the two women approaching. 

In that moment nothing mattered but his soon to be husband and their endless love for each other. Ravio took in the warmth of the body pressed against his own, felt protective arms wrap around his waist as his own hands fell into familiar blond hair. The scent of home surrounded him and the Lolian could get lost in the love of his life forever.

“I love you.” he whispered and Link returned the affection by deepening their kiss. 

He didn’t know what would await them in the future but whatever it would be, they would face it side by side. 

It had been three years since he had gotten to meet a real, live, genuine hero. 

  
  


Two years since he had fallen for Link.

  
  


And it would be for an eternity he would love his husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene of the proposal fit neither into the main story nor into the epilogue so I wrote it as a small extra just for my own amusement. This chapter and the following will be quite short because they will be about two scenes that I mostly just wanted to see for myself.
> 
> So, here you go. Please enjoy a very awkward and very nervous Ravio. No candlelight dinner, no romantic music, just Ravio being his rambling self and asking the question. (Also, this short chapter has another small reference to albw!Ravio if anyone can spot it)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


	56. Bonus 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the forest.

Crouching low, Link kept his breath even as he slowly creeped through the forest behind their home in Hateno. His heart was the only sound he could hear and he scanned his surroundings with sharp eyes, looking for any immediate danger. He knew that Ravio was somewhere around but his husband wasn’t aware of the little beast that housed these woods. Leaves and sticks cracked under his boots but he continued to search.

A rustling in a bush suddenly caught his attention and every muscle in his body tensed up as he approached it with caution. His fingers twitched in anticipation but Link knew better than to jump into battle right away. The creature he was dealing with was extremely fast and more difficult to catch than a Blupee. He slowly edged closer and once he was confident he was close enough, the Hylian moved at the speed of the light. 

A shrill squeal echoed through the forest as he wrapped his arms around a small body that desperately tried to escape from him but Link had a firm grip as he lifted the tiny beast out of its hiding spot.

The little girl squeaked in happiness and even though she tried to pat his face, the hero made sure to keep her at arms length. Link was grinning widely as her beautiful laughter rang through the woods and a moment later he buried his face in her small tummy, blowing raspberries. 

“Dadda, nooo! Stop!” Alba screamed as she fought back but Link only continued to tickle her until he finally took mercy. The hero readjusted his hold on the small Hylian so he could carry her with one arm as he began to sign with the other.

_“Found you.”_

She pouted and crossed her arms but Link simply snorted as he brushed some of her red hair behind an ear.

“Not fair! You cheat!”

Gasping dramatically, he placed a hand on his chest and quickly shook his head.

“You do! Papa says so!”

The little girl began to squirm in his hold and with a swift motion he lifted her onto his shoulders. She giggled and quickly held onto his head as he began to walk back to where he knew Ravio was.

_“Papa says a lot, don’t listen to him.”_

Just as expected, the merchant was sitting on a fallen tree as he softly played the harp he had been given by Kass all those years ago. A green eye cracked open when the two of them arrived and a bright grin appeared on his husband’s lips as he put the instrument to the side.

“If those aren’t my two troublemakers.” Ravio said as he made grabby hands for their little daughter. Link dutifully handed her over and watched with affection as the Lolian rubbed his nose against the girl’s.

“I see your dad once again allowed you to play in the dirt.” the merchant pointed out and even though his eyes were focused on their child, the words were clearly addressed to him. Snorting, Link sat down next to his partner and simply kissed his cheek even when their girl made a disgusted sound.

_“It’s my time to bathe Alba anyway, might as well make the most of it.”_

Ravio rolled his eyes but he placed their daughter on his lap so he could lean in for a proper kiss. Returning it eagerly, Link smiled when tiny hands tried to force them apart.

“Papa nooo! Ew!”

Ravio’s laughter filled the air and the two lovers rested their foreheads together before separating again. The Lolian stretched his arms and motioned for Alba to jump off his lap so he could get up.

“Come on, you divine beasts. It’s time we get back home so dad can start dinner for us.”

Moving onto his feet, Link smiled as the girl took both of their hands into her own. They walked through the forest back towards Hateno Village and their daughter would squeal in excitement whenever they would lift her into the air.

When Link looked over he met his husband’s gaze and they both smiled.

Life sure was good to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanart time!
> 
> [Click here to see an amazing drawing of NMNL Ravio, drawn by calamity-jam!](https://calamity-jam.tumblr.com/post/629654088263598080/so-i-absolutely-love-farbsturz-fic-nothing-more)
> 
> I chose the name Alba because it was similar to Albw. The little girl lost her parents to monsters when she was still a baby. Link found the small crying infant and took her back to Hyrule Castle. Upon arriving, he couldn't hand the baby over because she had a death grip on his finger. In the end Link couldn't just give her away and he asked Zelda if he could raise her. Zelda agreed after seeing the care and love with which he cared for the baby and together they asked Ravio for his opinion. The merchant was more than willing to raise the child and since then both have proven themselves as great parents.
> 
> And here it is, the last chapter of NMNL. Everything I wanted to say has already been said in earlier author's notes so I will simply use this one to thank you all one last time. Thank you for the hits, the kudos, the comments, the art. It's been an incredible two months and while I might write more for this universe in the future (especially once botw2 is out), for now this will be the end. 
> 
> I do plan on writing more Ravioli so who knows, maybe I will see a few of you under another story.  
> 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and for sticking with me until the very end!
> 
> here is my tumblr: [farbsturz](http://farbsturz.tumblr.com/)


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